


Ain't Your Fairytale

by TaraLaurel1



Category: Teen Wolf (TV), The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: ALL THE FRIENDSHIPS, All the Flirting, Alpha Derek Hale, BAMF Stiles, Canon Temporary Character Death, Canonical Character Death, Caroline Forbes & Stefan Salvatore Friendship, Character Death, Creepy Uncle Peter Hale, Crossover, Crossover Pairings, Damon Salvatore & Stiles Stilinksi Friendship, Derek Hale & Scott McCall Friendship, Derek Hale Deserves Nice Things, Derek Hale is Bad at Feelings, Derek whump, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Everyone hurts, Flirting, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Hurt, Hurt Derek, Hurt Erica, Hurt Stefan Salvatore, Hurt Stiles, Hurt Tyler, Hurt/Comfort, Jealous Derek, Kidnapped Boyd, Kidnapped Elena, Kidnapped Erica, Kidnapped Tyler, Kidnapping, Magical Stiles Stilinski, Multi, Oblivious Derek, Protective Stefan Salvatore, Sassy Damon Salvatore, Sassy Peter Hale, Sassy Stiles Stilinski, Scott McCall & Stiles Stilinski Friendship, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Spark Stiles Stilinski, Stefan Salvatore & Scott McCall Friendship, Stiles whump, Whump, all the whump, flirting peter hale, ghost bonnie bennett, tyler whump
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-28
Updated: 2019-02-07
Packaged: 2019-08-08 15:44:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 51
Words: 75,455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16432292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TaraLaurel1/pseuds/TaraLaurel1
Summary: “Okay,” Stiles stood up, arms flying above his head. “Who are you? Who's this Nik guy? What's a hybrid? Who's Elijah and Katherine? And what is so terrifying that it's got a group of freaking vampires scared?”“And how can we stop him?” Derek added.“Or trust you?” Erica folded her arms.“What's a ripper?” Isaac glanced at Stefan.“You better start explaining,” Lydia stepped forward, “or things are going to get pretty messy in here.”What happens when the vampires of Mystic Falls tangle with the werewolves of Beacon Hills? What about when the Alpha pack & Mikaelsons get involved? And what is going on with Stiles? Takes place post-Season 2 of Teen Wolf & post-Season 4 of Vampire Diaries. Chapter 1 kicks off right after the final Kanima/Jackson showdown. In this story, Silas doesn't throw Stefan into the water. Silas is locked away - hooray!





	1. Consequences

**Author's Note:**

> I started writing this a LONG time ago. Got about 40 chapters in and then I couldn't come to an ending and didn't want to leave it hanging on here, so I left it hanging in my documents instead. Figured it was finally time to post and finish it! 
> 
> This is not beta'd. Sometimes when I copy the chapters over, there are weird spacing issues, etc. I try to catch them all, but I've probably missed some. 
> 
> Most pairings stay true to canon, with a few exceptions. If you don't like them, don't read. Because there are so many characters involved, some chapters only center on specific characters or storylines and you might be wondering where the others went off to - don't worry, I circle around back to everyone.
> 
> Takes place post-Season 2 of Teen Wolf and post-Season 4 of Vampire Diaries. Chapter 1 kicks off right after the final Kanima/Jackson showdown. In this story, Silas doesn't throw Stefan into the water. Silas is locked away - hooray!

_I have always known the storm would come..._   
_Listen now, my young ones_   
_This not a story I tell_   
_Of midnight, moon and sun..._

_\- Ain't Your Fairytale, Sonata Arctica_

When Scott first caught the scent of his best friend's blood tinging the air, he didn't think much of it. The human had just come crashing through a wall in his Jeep. Not to mention Stiles' new facial decorations, courtesy of Gerard, that the werewolf had noticed immediately, despite the surrounding chaos. The werewolf was going to have to ask his best friend more about those later.

Isaac hadn't even picked up on the odor, far too distracted and not as familiar with Stiles' scent as the boy's surrogate brother.

It was Derek, surprisingly, who happened to catch the new metallic taste that didn't belong to Jackson or Gerard or anyone else that had just been involved in the fight. With a single lifted brow, Derek eyed the human. His brow, and the rest of his face, dropped as he watched the thin dark liquid drip from the boy's nostril. The scent was far too strong to just be caused by a simple nosebleed. Stiles didn't seem to notice the streak that curved over his lips. In fact, the kid didn't seem to be aware of much of anything around him. The teenager's eyes had gone glassy and distant. Stiles' lids were already drooping when the boy's body suddenly did the same.

The Alpha was behind him in an instant, saving Stiles from a harsh meet and greet with the concrete.

"Stiles!"

Scott didn't hesitate as he moved and gripped his friend's shoulder, helping Derek lower the newly limp body to the floor.

"What the hell happened?" Scott gaped down at his friend and then up at Derek.

"Does it look like I know?" Derek barked, lifting the boy's shirt and checking for any sign of injury.

There was nothing visibly fatal. No claw marks or glass or shrapnel from the Jeep.

"Do you smell that?" Isaac leaned over them, nostrils now flaring.

"It's blood," Derek ran a hand along the kid's back, finding merely a few tender spots. "Stiles' blood."

"How did he get these?" Derek pointed at the disturbing array of colors painted across Stiles' rib cage.

"He – he was missing," Scott stammered, "after the game. His dad texted me. Said Stiles told him some kids from the other team beat him up."

"And you believed him?" Derek fixed the werewolf with an accusing glare.

"We were sort of in the middle of all this!" Scott shot back, waving his hands. "He's my best friend! I was a bit busy being happy he was alive."

"He was upset."

All eyes turned curiously and attentively to Lydia. The girl was still clinging to the newly reborn Jackson, but she managed to assertively pull him forward with her toward Stiles and the others.

"I've never seen him like that. He got angry with me when I said I was going to come help. He said that what was done to him wasn't done to hurt  _him_. I don't think he meant to tell me."

"It was Gerard."

Again, all the attention of the room's occupants turned together. This time, Chris took the stage.

"What?" Scott leapt up toward the man. "You knew?"

"No," Chris shook his head, "not entirely. But the Sheriff's son goes missing right after Gerard puts his endgame into motion? It's not a difficult leap. His disappearance was probably meant to distract you. Throw you off balance. Or maybe he was just a sadistic bastard all along. Ask your pack."

"My pack?" Derek asked dangerously.

"Erica and Boyd." Allison swallowed. "We – captured – them. Gerard had them locked up in the basement."

If looks could kill, the glare Derek pierced the girl with right then would have had her keeling over on the spot, and then again for good measure.

"I let them go," Chris assured the Alpha. "But if Gerard took Stiles, he would have had to bring him down there. He knew I would never condone kidnapping a human, especially a kid."

"No, just innocent teenage werewolves," Derek bit back.

"Excuse me," Lydia stepped forward purposefully, "you guys can argue or, hey, kill each other, another time. Right now, you're wasting time. Stiles' time. So both of you can shut up now and hash out the details – or each others' necks – later. Right now, someone is going to call an ambulance."

"Ambulance?" Scott turned on her. "You think he needs a hospital?"

"I don't think," she pursed her lips, "I know."

She waited until Scott finally pulled out his cell phone and dialed his mother.

"I'd guess head wound, and you said you smelled his blood. He's probably bleeding internally, possibly a cerebral hemorrhage. So no one move him. If his father already thinks he was beaten up, we can say he was driving and passed out, crashing his Jeep. I was with him because I was upset about Jackson. Jackson, you need to go back to the hospital -"

"What? No -"

"Not done talking, and don't argue. You came back from the dead. Don't think your dad isn't going to have a field day with those doctors when you wake up confused in a body bag. Peter, you'll go with him. You know all about miraculous recoveries and lying."

"Do you really think that I'm -"

"I  _think_ that you attacked and bit me, and then proceeded to haunt me. Tormenting, tricking and threatening me until I was drugging my own birthday punch. And if it wasn't for me you'd still be rotting underneath that house. Psychotic werewolf or not, you owe me this much."

Lydia had spun on her heel to practically go nose to nose with the former Alpha.

"Just do it." Derek nodded to interrupt the comment that was about to come spewing from his uncle's hanging open mouth. "Tell Jackson what to do and say, but stay out of sight. Scott, Isaac, go and find Boyd and Erica."

"But Stiles -" Scott moved instinctively closer to his friend.

"Will be better helped if the doctors know exactly what happened to him and right now, the only people who know that are Erica and Boyd." Chris agreed. "My father kept many tools for hurting werewolves. I don't want to know the damage they could do to a human."

Everyone was silent at that.

"Allison, Derek and I will sweep the building for Gerard and clear out before anyone sees us, but not before we know Lydia and Stiles are safe. I'm not about to leave my daughter's best friend alone in some warehouse in the middle of the night."

Lydia nodded her thanks to the man. With a parting kiss to Jackson, she knelt beside her friend, silently taking his hand. Scott hesitated, pained eyes flickering over his brother's still form.

"Go," Lydia urged, blinking watery eyes at him.

With Isaac's gently pushing hand on his shoulder, Scott finally followed the others out of the warehouse.

"Come on, Stiles," Lydia breathed out slowly, once the pair were alone. "Without you, my only intellectual competition is Danny. It's no fun being number one in class if you're leagues ahead of everyone else. Besides, I still have to yell at you for keeping all of this from me. Did you honestly think I couldn't handle it? Seriously. I deserve higher expectations than that. I survived breaking up with Jackson. I survived being bitten by Peter. I think I can mentally handle the concept of werewolves. And speaking of, you know, Peter, he told me, you know? Well, more like teased me. I thought it was Jackson who found me. But it was you. You stupidly stood up against that monster for me when I hadn't even ever spared you a second of my attention. He could have killed you. Just like Allison's psycho grandfather could have killed you. You're a good friend, Stiles. Too good. So you have to be okay. For me. For Scott. I'm not really sure he can survive without you to keep him from tripping over himself every ten seconds. Of course, you do that by tripping over yourself."

Lydia paused as the sound of sirens filling the night silence. She straightened and fixed her eyes on the door. Glancing down at Stiles, the girl sent out a silent plea.


	2. Old Friends

When Meredith Fell packed her bags and boarded a plane headed far away from Mystic Falls, a part of her had felt guilty. Alaric was gone and Elena Gilbert was a vampire with no family left. But she hadn't been close with the kids like Ric. She didn't know how to help them, protect them. Still, the feeling that she was abandoning a bunch of teenagers to deal with the supernatural mess that was Mystic Falls was definitely there.

She had been debating what to do when she called her old colleague and friend. Melissa McCall was just about the best nurse Meredith had ever known. The woman could've been a brilliant doctor with her skills and smarts if that bastard of a husband of hers hadn't left her to single parenthood. Melissa mentioned that there was a position available at the hospital where she worked. Meredith had to admit that it would be nice to see a familiar face after all she had gone through recently. And, besides, Beacon Hills was even smaller in population than Mystic Falls. There was no record of a council. What was the worst that could happen?

Meredith was already on a plane when the phone at her old home rang. She never was there to listen to the voicemail her old friend had left her. To hear the warning to not come to Beacon Hills.

The night Melissa McCall had left her old friend a message to stay away from Beacon Hills was the same night the mother had discovered her son was – well – she wasn't entirely sure at that point. Oh, and that there was some other lizard creature on the loose. Of course, she hadn't exactly divulged all of that to her friend. After emotionally collecting herself to do so, she had finally dialed, a sense of dread washing over her when the call went to voicemail.

"Hi, Mer, it's me, Melissa. I don't have your cell number so I hope to hell that you get this. Listen, I know that you got the job and everything already, but, well, you should stay away from Beacon Hills. Things have been – it's -  _dangerous_  here. There's – uh – a killer and I – I just don't want you getting hurt because I got you to come out here. Just, please, call me back before you leave. Okay. Bye."

Once she had hung up, Melissa let the breath she had been holding escape. She wasn't sure what was going on, but she had already had to lie to the Sheriff. She didn't desire having to lie to her old best friend. Not to mention the danger Meredith would be unknowingly signing up for. Melissa couldn't just run from this. Her own son was a part of it. But she could at least attempt to keep Meredith out of the crossfire. After all, the woman had only just recently lost the man she had loved.

Alaric hadn't stuck around the Gilbert's house often. There was always a shadow of pain in Jeremy's eyes when the kid could see him. The boy already had had it hard enough. So, despite Alaric's longing to watch over the pair, he kept at arm's length. Jeremy was never going to move on if he could still see his dead surrogate father around every corner. Alaric had still watched from a distance, though. Sometimes he had followed the kids to school. Often, he checked in on Damon. There were times when he would just go to The Grill and sit at an open stool at the bar. He would listen to those around him and just for a little while pretend he was still alive too. And then one day Jeremy showed up on the stool next to him, looking Alaric right in the eye and the man just knew. Jeremy wasn't just seeing him because the kid could see ghosts. Jeremy was one too.

Then there were the days he visited Meredith. He had overheard her discussing a new job opportunity for herself in California and almost followed the woman. But he refused to torture himself that much. He also would never be able to bring himself to leave the teens he had grown so close to, especially Jeremy, who spent most of his afterlife lingering around Elena and Bonnie when he wasn't with Ric. Still, Alaric allowed some self pity. Like the night Meredith left. Alaric had spent a good hour simply standing in the empty home. He hadn't even realized the time slip past him when the telephone rang. Alaric glanced at the window. It was the middle of the night and everyone in town knew the doctor was gone. He listened curiously to the unfamiliar woman. There was something off in the tone of her voice. A layer of subtle and stifled panic, and maybe even hysteria underneath the feigned calm. Then there was the way she said "killer", like she wasn't certain of herself. Like there was something she was hiding between her words. Forgetting himself, Alaric moved toward the telephone and then stopped. He wanted to scream. Meredith was possibly in danger and there was nothing he could do about it.

It was her second night at the hospital when the boy was brought in. Meredith had heard the whispers of how the kid was the Sheriff's son. If that didn't put her on edge, then Melissa's reaction when the ambulance finally arrived definitely did.

"Oh my – Stiles," Melissa rushed forward, practically knocking Meredith and another nurse over.

"Your son called this in, correct?" It was a deputy, following the paramedics.

"Yes, he did."

"But you're son wasn't at the scene of the accident," the man stated suspiciously.

"Look, can we do this later?" Meredith recognized that it wasn't a question. "This is my son's best friend. Your boss's kid. I'm going to help save him and you're going to wait outside."

And just like that, Melissa was assisting Meredith and the others as they attempted to do just what Melissa had vowed they would.

When they found the bleed, Meredith felt a wave of deja vu spread over her. The teenager had a bleed in his brain, just like Elena had. If they had treated him sooner, they might have been able to stop this. But it was too late, again. There was nothing they could do. Well, nothing modern medicine could do. Meredith had smuggled a small supply of vampire blood with her to Beacon Hills. She wasn't sure why. She didn't know if she could do this again. Risk this again.


	3. Confessions

The doctor stepped into the lobby and was promptly met with a room full of fearful and hopeful faces. The Sheriff paced with his hands on the back of his head. A startling blonde girl was clinging to a larger dark-skinned boy. A lanky kid stood next to the pair, head bowed and eyes studying the floor. A boy she vaguely recognized from past photographs as Melissa's son was slumped forward in a chair next to a small redhead who appeared to be staring intently into thin air. There was something about this group that reminded the woman of the teenagers she had left back in Mystic Falls. While their faces vibrated with youth, their eyes all were aged beyond their years.

As soon as Meredith stepped out, every head snapped in her direction. The Sheriff tore toward her with an almost mad spark in his eyes.

"How is he? How's my son?"

Scott stood next, eyes wandering, probably searching for his mother.

"Is he okay?"

Meredith looked at the both of them and felt a weight in her throat. Melissa had informed her how the Sheriff had lost his wife. Scott had also, in a way, lost his father. Behind them, the group of teenagers that looked like they had all just gone through a war were all trained attentively on her.

"We're going to do everything we can," she spoke before she had realized she had consciously made the decision.

"What does that mean?" The Sheriff demanded.

"The blood in his brain has caused an edema - a swelling of the brain tissue. The blood pooled and formed a hematoma. This puts pressure on the brain and kills brain cells and reduces blood flow. We ran imaging tests that confirmed the internal bleeding. Right now, we have him on a cocktail of painkillers, corticosteroids, and diuretics to reduce the swelling and anticonvulsants to treat seizures -"

"Seizures?" Scott swallowed, gripping Lydia's arm.

"He had two while on the table, but the anticonvulsants seem to be working now. We're working to treat him through endovascular therapy. It involves a catheter passed into the blood vessels to avoid brain surgery. I promise, it's not invasive and we have hope that this will work and he won't need the surgery. He's in critical condition right now, but – there – there's a good chance he could still pull through. If you'll excuse me, I need to get back to him."

The man nodded tiredly and fell backward into a chair as Meredith rushed in the opposite direction. She rounded a corner and let her back slam against the wall. Stiles wasn't just in critical condition, he was dying. The kid was in a coma, barely hanging on to life and the medical staff knew it was merely a short waiting game from there. The endovascular therapy wasn't working. There was too much swelling. Too much blood. Even surgery would be a moot point. The kid would be dead before he could even be prepped. She had intended to inform the family and friends of her patient to prepare themselves and say their final goodbyes. She had intended to let nature take its course instead of submitting to supernatural meddling. Yet all her intentions went flying out the window when she laid eyes on that waiting room. Too many teenagers had died in Mystic Falls. Too many sons and daughters and friends. She wasn't going to lose a kid her second day on the job.

Closing her eyes, Meredith pushed off of the wall. She was already through the next door when Melissa came hurrying down the hall and into the waiting room. Scott rushed to her. They collided, wrapping arms around each other.

"Sweetie, I'm so sorry," she traced her fingers through his hair.

"It's okay. He's going to be okay."

"Honey," Melissa pulled away, eyeing her son cautiously, "Stiles – he -"

"I know," Scott shook his head. "I know it's bad. But the doctor said he could pull through."

"She did?"

"And if anyone can pull through and survive, it's Stiles," Scott continued, not hearing his mother. "He's too stubborn to die."

"Of course," Melissa cleared her throat. "No one else is stubborn like Stiles is."

Scott smiled at that and he moved to sit down again next to his friends. Melissa waited until she had turned around to frown, marching off to find her own friend.

"It's late," the Sheriff rubbed long fingers over tired eyes. "You kids should go on home."

"I'm not going anywhere until we know he's okay," Scott shook his head.

"Yeah, speaking of 'we'," the father eyed the teenage group behind his son's best friend and lowered his voice. "Since when did Stiles get so many friends?"

"Well – uh -" Scott glanced at the werewolves, "Isaac, you know, he's on the team and – um – they -"

"It's alright," Erica moved forward and was next to Scott before the latter even realized it. "Boyd and Isaac are  _my_  friends and Stiles – he's my boyfriend."

"Your –  _what_?" The Sheriff took a step back, not seeing Lydia and Scott's faces of shock and horror. "My son has a – you're his - ?"

"It happened pretty recently, really. We were going to tell you," the female werewolf lamented with a smooth, curved frown. "We just wanted the time to be right. I'm so sorry – I -"

"It's – it's alright," The Sheriff placed strong hands on the shaking girl's shoulders. "Listen, I'm going to go get some coffee, a  _lot_  of coffee. You kids need anything?"

Each of the teenagers shook their heads, watching the man's back intently as he walked away.

"What the holy hell?" Lydia whispered.

"You're welcome," Erica snorted.

"Are you sure it's – you know –  _safe_ for us all to be here?" Isaac asked when the Sheriff had finally gotten out of earshot and Erica had slouched back into her spot as if nothing had happened.

"We're safer together," Scott nodded, still eyeing the blonde. "We already decided that."

"What about Derek?" Isaac pressed. "You don't think -"

"Argent wouldn't hurt him. Not after everything tonight," Scott shifted uncomfortably.

"I've been texting Allison," Lydia spoke up. "She wanted to be here, but, you know, considering she nearly killed you all, decided to keep her distance."

"Good," Erica crossed her arms, all feigned softness having fled her features.

"She said they couldn't find Gerard's body-"

"That's comforting," Boyd mumbled.

"And Derek went to make sure Peter didn't kill Jackson – again."

"So he's here," Isaac sighed, relieved.

"I'm sure Jackson's father will be bursting through those doors any moment now with some pretty harsh words for the doctors," Lydia straightened. "He should be making his miraculous recovery any time now."

"Good," Scott sighed. "We need to stick together. How many werewolves did you say you heard?"

"We don't know," Boyd lowered his head. "Derek told us that two werewolves can sound like twelve."

"But it was definitely werewolves this time," Erica assured them. "We could hear them getting closer – and not in a happy meet and greet way – when Isaac found us. We all just ran."

"We don't know if they want to cause trouble," Scott reasoned. "But we should still stay close."

"They definitely sounded like they meant trouble," Isaac folded his arms close to his chest.

"Well, whatever's going on, we can handle it," Scott proclaimed proudly.

"What makes you so sure?" Isaac shrugged. "You're not even part of our pack. You said it yourself. You tricked us."

"I needed to stop Gerard," Scott tried fruitlessly to avoid the boy's betrayed expression. "Derek keeps things from me. All of us. All the time. Thought it was my turn. I'm sorry I lied about joining the pack. It wasn't about you, any of you. It's – different – for me."

"How?" Erica cocked an eyebrow. "We're all dealing with the same shit as werewolves."

"Yeah, except you got a choice." Scott scrubbed long fingers through his hair as he stood and turned on them. "Peter bit me and I had no clue what was going on. I almost hurt Stiles and Allison and Jackson. The only reason Derek  _finally_  decided to help me was to find the Alpha that killed his sister, who just happened to be the same one that bit me. I never wanted this, any of it. Derek told me there was this legend. That if you kill the Alpha that bit you, it could cure the bite. I helped him because he promised me he'd help me kill the Alpha so I could be human again. Peter was down. I yelled for Derek to stop, but he didn't listen. He didn't care. All he cared about was his revenge and getting power. He killed Peter and became the Alpha. And I was stuck living a life I never had a say in like you did."

"And then he goes and builds a pack to gain numbers, more power. I'll help Derek if it helps you guys, but I don't want to be his Beta."

"Is that what you think?"

The teens startled at the sudden presence of the Alpha. Really, with a room full of werewolves, you would think that would happen less.

"It's what I know," Scott held his ground once he recovered from the surprise.

"Really?" Derek took a purposeful step in Scott's direction.

"Yes, really," Scott matched his move. "You've only ever come to me when you need help. You don't  _want_ me in your pack, not like you should. You want me so you can have another soldier. You were ready to  _kill_  Lydia when you thought she was the Kanima. And you were willing to go through Stiles, Allison and Jackson to get to her. Would you have killed them Derek? Or have Erica or Isaac or Boyd do it for you? Jackson turned into a killing machine and practically died. Stiles, my  _best friend,_ who's saved your life more than once, is here  _right_ _now_! He could die! He could be dead – he -"

Scott stopped short and whirled around, as if remembering where they all were.

"Stiles – Stiles – I was listening for his heartbeat – but I stopped because – we're fighting – and he's – he's dying – he's -"

Derek grabbed the boy's shoulders as the Beta subtly began to shift right there in the middle of the waiting room.

"Scott!"

The werewolves quickly stood to surround and hide the scene from curious eyes. Lydia moved toward Scott, but Derek held her back with a warning glare.

"Stay back. Go find the Sheriff. Don't let him near here."

Surprisingly, the girl obeyed him and hurried off, a look of warning of her own for the Alpha as she left.

"There's too many!" Scott muttered. "I – I can't find it. I can't hear it. It was so weak. Stiles' heart – I – he -"

"Scott! You need to -"

"Someone find it!" Scott struggled against Derek grip enough that Boyd had to aid in the restraint.

"Scott," Isaac tried, softer than Derek.

"Isaac," Scott gasped, his eyes filling with recognition they hadn't had in the past few moments. "Isaac, please. Find him. I – I can't. I need to go – get away -"

"Bathroom," Erica nodded, "down the hall. Take a right. Hurry."

Derek pulled Scott along with him, past concerned faced staff. Once inside the bathroom, Derek hastily checked the stalls while Scott slid against the wall, slumping to the floor.

"Scott," Derek knelt in front of the beta. "Breathe."

"Stiles -"

"Isaac will find him. The doctors would've told us if something happened. Stiles is alright."

"For now," Scott dropped his head in his hands. "You didn't hear that doctor's heartbeat when she told us. She was scared."

"Scared. Not lying." Derek nodded. "There's still a chance -"

"A chance of what? Of him being okay until the next thing comes? First Peter, then the Argents, Jackson, now another pack? Gerard hurt him, because of me. To get to me. What's to stop someone or something else from doing the exact same thing? Gerard used my mom. Used Stiles. To get to me. The people I care about the most are being hurt, because of me."

"Because of me," Derek corrected. "That's what you said out there. Or is it because of Peter? Or maybe it's Stiles' fault for dragging an asthmatic teenager out into the woods at night."

"No, he – he already – he told me he blames himself. But it's not -"

"Not his fault? Just like what happened to your mom and Stiles isn't yours. It's mine."

"Derek -"

"You were doing such a good job blaming me out there in front of  _my pack_."

"I'm sorry, I -"

"You don't want in my pack, fine. But don't go off telling  _my_ pack things you don't even understand."

"What are you talking about?"

Derek paused. He wasn't entirely sure if he was ready to share this with Scott. Or if the young werewolf was ready to hear it. He didn't like this. Being open made you vulnerable. Made you weak. But closing himself off and pushing Scott away had led to the beta betraying him and an innocent human being caught in the crossfire. Stiles was one of the most infuriating people Derek had ever had the displeasure of meeting. And yet, despite his injuries and probable wounded pride, he drove his Jeep through a wall to save them all. Not to mention the void expression on the kid's face right before he dropped back in the warehouse. Stiles had looked, well, dead. The image had jarred something in Derek. He had seen his new pack hurt, but nothing like what had crossed Stiles' features. And then - just for a moment - his heart had stopped. In between being upright and hitting the ground, Stiles' heart had stuttered. Stiles' wasn't pack. He wasn't even a werewolf. And yet, something flared inside Derek when the teenager had fallen. Something that screamed "protect", that screamed "family". Maybe Stiles and Scott were more a part of Derek's pack than they wanted to admit. Maybe Derek thought of them more of pack than  _he_ cared to admit. He had already lost his real family. He wasn't about to lose this one too.

"There's something you need to know," Derek started with clenched teeth. "Yes, I tricked you into helping me find the Alpha. But there's more to it. The legend about killing the one that bit you – it's old and there's no proof of it ever having been done. If you had killed Peter, there was a good chance you would've become the Alpha. You already didn't want to be a werewolf. Being an Alpha would've been too much. Not to mention the fact that you're not a killer, Scott. To live with something like that, it changes you."

"Why didn't you tell me any of this? And why everything after that? Erica, Isaac, Boyd, Jackson? You had Erica hit Stiles over the head and dump him in a dumpster. You nearly killed Jackson and Lydia."

"There's a power that comes with being an Alpha. I might have – maybe – let it get to my head – a little. When you first become the Alpha, it's like the full moon - all the time."

"Who are you and what have you done to Derek?"

"Shut up. Just listen. I picked Isaac because of his father -"

"And Erica 'cause of her seizures and Boyd because he was lonely. I know all that."

"You  _think_ that you know. But did you ever stop and just think for a second? If I wanted power, just power in numbers, why only them? And why  _them_? Why not three more jocks like Jackson? Turning Erica, Isaac and Boyd wasn't just for me. It was for them. To help them."

"And almost getting them killed." Scott rebutted readily.

"You don't want to listen? Fine. But there's something else you should know. Another reason why I didn't let you kill Peter."

Scott paused at that, backing down to allow the Alpha to continue.

"If the legend wasn't true and you had become the Alpha, you would be in danger."

"I'm already in danger every day!"

"Not like what I'm talking about. Something's coming."

"The pack?"

"Pack? What do you know?"

"Erica and Boyd. When they got out of Argent's basement, they heard a pack of werewolves. Not a recording like the Argents used. Isaac heard it too. That's why everyone's here. To stick together."

"Good. We're all going to need to stay together, if we want to survive."

"Survive? You don't think we can handle another pack?"

"It's not just any pack, Scott. I went by the house to grab some supplies before coming here. They left their symbol on the door."

"Symbol?"

Derek ground his teeth. He hadn't planned on telling Scott any of this. He wasn't sure if it was because of his pride, the hurt of Scott's betrayal, or some protective instinct to keep the kid safe. With a sigh, the Alpha lowered his head.

"It's for an Alpha pack."

"A pack – of  _Alphas_  – and they're coming here? Why?"

"They're not coming here, they  _are_ here."

Scott stared at Derek for a long moment, brain playing catch up with everything the older boy was throwing at him in such a short time.

"What do they want?"

"The Alpha. Me."

Scott's eyes widened in realization as Derek's own wandered toward the wall.

"So, wait. You knew they would come."

"They recruit new Alphas."

"Which, if I would've killed Peter, would've been -"

Derek's gaze snapped to meet Scott's.

"You."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, Derek and Scott actually communicate in this fic. Imagine that.


	4. Medical Miracle

Melissa hadn't been able to find Meredith. The nurse had peeked through the window on Stiles' door, and having not spotted her, she took to checking every room Meredith had a current patient in. After no luck, Melissa had made another pass by Stiles' door, pausing as her eyes scanned the boy from the other side of the glass. Stiles was like a second son to her. He was her kid's surrogate brother and the child of the man she considered a close friend. The Sheriff and Scott were supposed to be saying goodbye to the boy while there was still some time left, not stuck out in the waiting room while Stiles slipped away. Whatever false hope Meredith had and had offered to them wasn't going to help either the Sheriff or Scott after Stiles was gone. They needed the closure. And so did she.

Swallowing, Melissa stepped into the room. The door hadn't even fallen shut again before the nurse was turning tail and hurrying off in the other direction. She rounded a corner on her way to the waiting room and nearly collided with Scott and Derek.

"Okay, Scott," Melissa dug chipped fingernails into her hips as she eyed the pair with a narrowed brow. "What aren't you telling me?"

"Mom?" Scott lifted his hands in what was probably an instinctively guilty and common fashion. "What are you talking about?"

Melissa's eyes snapped from her son to Derek and then back again.

"Alright, both of you, come with me,  _now_."

The werewolves exchanged confused glances before curiously obeying the woman. They followed the nurse down the hall and into a room. They wore similar odd expressions until they realized which room she had brought them to. Derek stood stiffly beside the door Melissa was closing. He could feel the soft, yet sharp, tremors tearing through his body as he simply stared. Scott's reaction was the polar opposite of the Alpha. The teenager propelled forward so suddenly he nearly tangled himself up in his own feet. Along with his limbs, Scott's mouth began to move at a pace that rivaled the hyped speeches of his best friend.

"Oh my - Stiles! How is he? Is he okay? He looks okay. Right? Right, Derek?"

"He looks," Derek swallowed, squinting, " _healed_."

"What?" Scott took a staggering step backward, as if seeing his friend for the first time.

Derek was right. The bruising and scrapes that had decorated Stiles' face were nowhere to be seen. Both werewolves turned to their other senses. The boy's heartbeat was strong, perhaps stronger than usual. And there was something off-putting about his scent. Underneath the overwhelming layers of medicine, latex and everything else that screamed "hospital", Stiles' scent had changed. There was the chalkiness of his Adderall. The tang of his cologne. But the mixture of sage and peppermint that always accompanied the teenager had all but been doused, replaced with something strangely metallic. Derek was reminded of how Erica had described tasting blood right before having a seizure. This was different though. This smelled musty and sour, like a cousin of dried blood.

"What did you do?"

Before Derek could react, Scott had him pinned against the wall. The Alpha didn't struggle as he growled at the Beta.

"I didn't  _do_ anything."

"You bit him, didn't you? Why? Because the Alphas are coming?"

"I  _said_ , I didn't do  _anything_."

Derek almost wanted to lie. To tell Scott that he had given Stiles the bite. It would make the Beta hate him, but it would keep him safer. Because something  _was_ different about Stiles, and Derek had no idea what.

And it terrified him.

When the bite hadn't changed Jackson or Lydia, Derek had been confused and scared too. And when Jackson was in the bathroom, black blood draining from his nose and ears, it had nearly sent the Alpha into a panic with images of Paige resurfacing after years of being buried.

This was different. A werewolf hadn't bitten Stiles. And Stiles was healing. No,  _healed_. As if never harmed at all. As if a wolf. And the scent. Nothing had changed in Lydia or Jackson's scents after the bite. The change in Stiles, though, was pungent.

"You didn't bite him?" Melissa asked carefully from behind her son.

"No," Derek repeated, pushing Scott away.

"Did he get scratched?" Scott abandoned Derek without an apology and returned to his friend's side. "When Derek scratched Jackson, Argents thought he was the werewolf. They said a scratch can change you if it goes deep enough."

"He's not one of us," Derek stepped forward. "We would be able to tell. To feel it. Like you did with Isaac and Erica."

"Then what is it?" Scott gaped at the bed and then his mother.

"I was hoping you two would be able to tell me," Melissa adjusted something on Stiles' monitor. "Jackson made his miraculous return from the dead an hour ago and now this? Everyone at the hospital is going to be completely clueless as to how either of them survived. The board is going to call everyone who treated both patients in for interviews and questioning. I overheard that thanks to Jackson's father, there are going to be depositions and hearings. Add whatever happened to Stiles into the mix and a lot of suspicious eyes are going to be on Beacon Hills. I heard one doctor mention something about the FBI."

"FBI? What? Why?"

Melissa fixed her son with a disappointed, yet sympathetic look.

"First the animal attacks, then the murders, the police station. Come on, Scott. Beacon Hills' murder rate hasn't reached this in, well, ever. People start to ask questions."

"What kind of questions? It's not like they're going to put werewolves on their suspect list."

"The feds won't," Derek glanced toward the window. "But hunters will."

"I'm never going to pass this semester," Scott lamented halfheartedly, scrubbing at his scalp.

_We'll be lucky if we survive it._

Derek didn't dare speak the thought aloud. Scott's nerves were frayed still and he had enough now to worry about. Not to mention he didn't exactly feel comfortable letting Scott's mother know she might lose her son. She already feared for him without the added Alpha presence, hunters, feds and the new mystery of Stiles Stilinski.

"We should call Deaton," Scott moved closer to the bed. "Maybe he'll know something."

"That's great," Melissa glanced at the door, subconsciously lowering her voice, "but what do we tell his father? Any minute now the doctor is going to tell him that his son is perfectly fine. He's going to burst in here, see the missing injuries, and demand answers."

"Maybe we should tell him the truth."

"What? No," Derek waved his hands.

"Come on, man. He's going to figure it out, eventually. Where do you think Stiles' gets his brain from? Besides, my mom freaked, but got over it."

"Ha," Melissa rolled her head back. " _Define_ getting over it."

"But you dealt," Scott stared up at her with pleading eyes. "And now you're helping us."

"Now, she's also in danger."

"She was in danger before!"

" _She_ is standing right here!" Melissa clapped her hands together.

"Scott, listen to me for once. Your mom might lose her job now. The Sheriff already lost his once. If the feds  _are_ coming, who are they going to question first? If he knows, he'll have to lie. What if they put him through a lie detector test and he fails? He'll never put his son in danger, so he wouldn't talk. Then they could pin this all on him or send him to jail anyway for obstructing justice or, worse. Not to mention the fact that he is the sheriff, which means he'll try to get involved in all of -  _this_ \- and then what? End of right here next to Stiles. When all of this is over, I swear, we can tell him. I'd probably stop getting arrested every week. But that's  _Stiles'_ decision. Not ours. Trust me, the Sheriff is safer not knowing right now."

"Okay, you're right," Scott bowed his head. "But he's still going to have questions."

"Melissa, what are the doctors telling him?"

"Probably the same thing they're telling Jackson's parents. Medical miracle," she shrugged. "They do happen."

Derek stared down at the boy, the peaceful softness of his features disconcerting.

"Not like this."


	5. Side Effects

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So glad you guys seem to be enjoying this - even if it is just a few of ya'll so far taking this journey with me. Just teasing. Sort of.

 

"Are you crazy?"

Meredith cringed at the volume the Sheriff's voice had leapt to.

"I know, I know. It was stupid. Incredibly stupid. But he was so young. I couldn't just do nothing. I saw him and I saw Jeremy."

There was a long pause where both women sighed.

"How is he?"

"Not awake yet," Meredith glanced over her shoulder.

"And what are you telling people?"

"Medical miracle."

"Yeah," the voice scoffed.

"They happen."

"Not like this."

"Look, I'm sorry I bothered you with this. You have more important things to worry about."

"No, Meredith. I'm glad you called. Look, the council has a lot of connections."

"But I thought -"

"I know some people that I can trust. I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you, Liz."

"Of course. Just be careful. Keep the kid under surveillance. Tell the family that it's for observation. You need to be sure that blood is out of his system before you let him leave. The last thing that you, or that town, needs is a new vampire on its hands. If something happens, you call me."

"Liz, he's just a teenager. Same age as Caroline and the others."

"I know. Which is why you call  _me_. If something happens, I'll send someone there, to  _help_  him."

"Thank you."

"Take care of yourself."

"You too."

* * *

After the trio had departed from Stiles' room, it was barely five minutes before the Sheriff did indeed bust through the door. Derek made himself scarce after that, lingering still at the hospital, though, to ensure his pack's safety. Scott wasn't about to leave Stiles anytime soon, which meant Derek couldn't leave either. Despite the teenager's betrayal, Derek felt a sense of responsibility for the Beta. He had instructed Boyd, Isaac and Erica to leave. They were not as close with Stiles and their continued presence would cause further suspicion, despite Erica's earlier performance. He told them to find the closest house or business that was empty and remain there for the rest of the day. It was a game him and his siblings had played when they were young. They would find a home with the smell of its owners having faded, whether they were on vacation or had moved, the children didn't care. They had just wanted a place to play. Of course, it had been more than a simple game, though. Born wolves were taught early on how to run, how to hide. That's what they were instructed to do when hunters or any other threat found them. To hide. To heal. Boyd and Erica were still somewhat weak from their time in the Argent basement. Derek briefly informed them on how to hide their scents as well.

Lydia was determined to see Jackson, even if his father wasn't allowing his son to have any visitors. The look in her eyes when the man had refused her request was enough to tickle even Derek's hackles. Peter was probably lurking somewhere nearby, Derek didn't care. His focus was on his pack. Scott was emotionally unstable and therefore vulnerable. Both Stiles and Jackson were healed, but only the latter was awake, and a werewolf to add to the chaos. He needed to be there for the new Beta as he made the transition. And then, of course, there was the mystery of Stiles. There was no telling what would happen when he awoke, or what he might be.

Scott and Melissa both kept constant vigil over the teenager, and his father. The Sheriff had fallen into the chair beside the bed and refused to move. Due to the miraculous nature of Stiles' recovery, he was also under constant supervision by the staff. Doctors and nurses were running more tests than Derek could count. Every time they drew more blood or asked more questions, Scott would subtly shoot Derek an update from his phone. As much as the Alpha wanted to know what had happened to Stiles, he needed to keep his pack safe first. If these tests revealed anything outside the realm of human and hunters somehow found out, another teenager in Beacon Hills would have a hunter's target on his back. Not to mention the possibility that skinny, human Stiles could potentially be the threat to his pack, depending on exactly what had happened to him. Derek didn't really feel like having another Kanima or the like on his hands.

The Alpha was on his way to the labs when he saw her.

He recognized the woman and immediately tensed. He had had his secret suspicions about her. A new doctor arriving, just in time for the supernatural shit to hit the fan and Stiles' miracle recovery was a bit too much of a coincidence to overlook.

Through the door's window, Derek watched with increasingly furrowed brows as the woman worked.

"What the hell did you do?"

The doctor gasped and whirled around as Derek slammed the door open.

"You can't be in here," came the steady response.

_Interesting_.

Her heartbeat had spiked at the initial surprise, but had quickly leveled.

"I might not know much about hospital policy, but I'm  _pretty_ sure you're also not supposed to switch those tubes right there."

He was keeping his voice calm now, matching hers, playing her game. If she wasn't scared of him, then she didn't know what he was. That, or she was something stronger. She smelled human though.

"Who are you?" The woman's eyes narrowed.

"A friend."

"I'm new in town." She remarked as she sidestepped behind a table, creating an obstacle between her and the intruder.

"Didn't say I was yours," he stepped forward, allowing the bite to disappear from his voice. "Look, I'm sorry." He smiled faintly, stretching some of his rarely used skills. "I didn't mean to scare you. I took a walk to clear my head. I recognized you as the doctor who saved my friend's life. I wanted to say thank you."

"I've seen a charmer or two before," Meredith crossed her arms. "That isn't going to work on me."

"How about threatening to tell everyone else here what you were doing just now?" Derek let the act drop like a crashing curtain. "Will that work?"

"Look," she lowered her head, "it's complicated."

"Then explain it to me." Derek walked around the table separating them.

"I – can't."

"That sounds a lot like 'won't'," Derek moved closer.

"No, I mean, I  _can't_. Telling you could get a lot of innocent people hurt, including your friend. He's alive. Let that be enough and just stop asking questions, please."

There was an earnest glow in her gaze that gave Derek pause. Not to mention the absence of a lie from her heartbeat.

"Is he okay?"

"Yes." Her answer was swift, but not too fast to cause for concern.

"No –  _side effects_?"

"If we keep him here, under constant supervision, then no."

"For how long?

"About 48 hours and he'll be fine, I promise. Just keep him in his room and out of trouble."

"Keep Stiles out of trouble for two days," Derek huffed.

"Just keep him safe," Meredith amended.

"What happens if I don't?" Derek caught the warning.

Meredith didn't match the werewolf's glare, but her eyes were just as piercing.

"Side effects."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like this story, please feed my ego and give it a review, and make sure to follow it for all the updates! *End shameless self-promotion* Man, I feel like a Youtuber...


	6. 11:38

“Wow. That woman has almost as bad of luck as you.”

Elena rung out her hair in the towel wrapped around her neck. She padded barefoot into the bedroom, frowning at her boyfriend's remark as he carelessly tossed his cell phone onto the desk.

“Who?”

“One Miss Meredith Fell.”

“What happened?” Elena dropped the towel along the back of a chair.

“Just getting herself in a little werewolf trouble.”

“Werewolves? Is she okay?”

“Physically, yes. Mentally,  _ eh _ , questionable. Considering she would have to be  _ insane  _ to use vampire blood to cure some dying kid in a town without a pesky council, or  _ me _ , to cover her ass. Apparently, the not-so-dead kid's got friends in furry places, or enemies, whatever, because some high and mighty werewolf came a-knockin', making with the questions and the threats.”

“He threatened her?” Elena stepped forward.

“Maybe. Possibly. I wasn't entirely paying attention.”

“Damon,” Elena moved in front of his pacing form.

“He gave her a good old fashioned scaring,” Damon rolled his eyes. “So, Mer went and did some digging. Turns out, she  _ really  _ should have read the town brochure before moving, like the part where the ' _ wild animal _ ' caused deaths are the highest in the state. ”

“So more than one werewolf,” Elena surmised, brandishing her hairbrush.

“Looks like it,” Damon lifted his eyebrows and then let himself drop backward onto the bed.

“Wait, how does she know it’s a werewolf problem and not vampire related?”

“Well, for one, she’s seen them in the daylight without any witchy rings. Two, the one that confronted her didn’t try to compel her into telling him what he wanted. Easy conclusion.”

“So what now, Damon?” Elena set the brush down and began collecting her clothing.

“What now  _ what _ ?” The vampire sat up at a begrudging pace.

“What do we do?” Elena twisted her arms across her stomach stiffly.

“ _ Do _ ? Why are we supposed to  _ do  _ anything?”

“It's Meredith,” Elena folded herself down next to him.

“And it's a group of werewolves. Vampires and werewolves don't mix well in case you've forgotten.”

“Neither do werewolves and innocent people,” Elena lowered her chin while lifting her forehead. “And if they find out that she has connections to vampires -”

“So we'll overnight her some wolfsbane and shock collars,” Damon waved a hand. “Mer's a big girl.”

“She's helped save our lives.” Elena stood stubbornly.

“That's what doctors  _ do _ , Elena.”

“What about Ric?”

The room fell heavy with silence at that.

“Alaric's gone, but he loved Meredith. If not for her, then for him. She was a part of this. Of us. As much as I never wanted to be a vampire, it's better than being dead. Without her, I would be. Without her, we would have never had a chance to be together. Alaric might not have been happy again after losing Jenna. We owe her. We've lost too many people. It's the right thing to do.”

“Stop, please. You're beginning to sound like Stefan.”

The comment caused another beat of silence as Elena stiffened.

“How – have you talked to him?” She hedged, swallowing the lump growing in her throat.

“I've told you, Elena, he'll come back when he's ready.”

 

\---

 

It ended up being far easier than Derek had originally thought to keep Stiles out of trouble for 48 hours. Because when hour 49 rolled around, the teenager still had yet to awaken. There were no signs of fangs or scales or anything of the supernatural sort. There was plenty else that was worrying, though. Sure, when Scott and Derek had first seen the kid, his bruises were gone and he appeared healed. But it wasn’t a few hours later before the boy spiked a fever, sweating and shaking and vomiting, all while never once regaining full consciousness. There were glimpses; a sliver of those amber irises, a groan for his father. Once again, medically, it didn’t make much sense. Melissa said it was like his body was rejecting something. Derek couldn’t help but think back to the new doctor and their conversation, but she was nowhere to be found. Scott had even gotten Deaton into Stiles' room for a second opinion after visiting hours. The veterinarian seemed to be just as clueless as the rest of the doctors.

“Doc, you got to give me something,” Scott fell back in the chair normally occupied by Sheriff Stilinski.

The teenager, granted with much help from Melissa, had finally convinced the man to go home and get some proper rest.

“I'm sorry,” Deaton shook his head and lifted Stiles' blanket back up over the boy. “There is nothing here for me to find, at least, nothing that I am  _ able _ to find.”

“What does that mean?” Scott leaned forward.

“If something supernatural is at work here, whatever caused it left no evidence,” The vet sighed. “There are some herbal mixtures perhaps, certain rituals, that could offer such healing, but rare does not even begin to describe how difficult the ingredients and a person with the power to use them would be to find.”

“I – I know that voice,” Scott looked up at his boss. “You know something.”

“No,” Deaton finished packing his bag. “I have my suspicions, but unfortunately, none of them make any sense. I'll see what I can find.” Deaton slipped the strap over his shoulder and paused at the look on his employee's face. “Scott, I promise, I'll do everything I can. Just have patience, and perhaps a little faith.”

After that, Scott had dove into what Stiles always dubbed “research mode”. Everything he found had the same answers, none. There were countless stories of miraculous recoveries, especially brain damage. People who had been shot in the head, legally dead for several minutes, in vegetative states for years and more. Some writers attributed the survivals to religion. Others thanked scientific advancements. Theories of the supernatural variety were few and far between. After five straight hours, Scott had slammed his laptop shut. Stiles was the one who always did the research, who had the answers, solved the impossible questions. Besides him, their group had Lydia. She was a little preoccupied helping Jackson, but still managed to reread the Bestiary and a few other texts in hopes of helping.

Because two days after Stiles had rammed his Jeep through a wall and then nearly taken a digger to a cement floor, he still hadn't woken up.

On day three, at 11:38 in the morning, the power in the hospital flickered off for just a second. It was so brief that those who even noticed it didn't think anything of it. There was a particular group of people who definitely were a bit too distracted to even care about some electrical glitch. Too overjoyed and confused and worried and hopeful. Too busy crying and screaming and hugging and picking up their phones to send out texts and calls of updates long awaited.

Because at 11:38, in the emergency room, Nate Lytle's doctor was interrupted in calling the man's time of death by the heart monitor proving him wrong. At 11:38, a baby without a name in the NICU began breathing again. At 11:38, the doctors of the unnamed baby's mother were downstairs, finally able to stop the bleeding from the car accident and resulting premature birth. At 11:38, Jeannette Longsine, 83 years old and in a persistent vegetative state after a stroke, squeezed her husband’s hand.

Because at 11:38, in a quiet room on the fourth floor, Stiles Stilinski opened his eyes.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think is going on with Stiles?? Hmm...


	7. Worse

When Stiles woke up, he didn't sprout fangs and leap off of the bed. He didn't scream or thrash. He didn't enter a fugue state and take a naked wander in the woods. The very first thing Stiles did when he opened his eyes, was, unsurprisingly, open his mouth.

“My Jeep – is – is she okay?”

And just like that, the Sheriff was laughing through his tears as he stroked his son's forehead. The father enjoyed the brief, tender moment with his son before standing and going to the door. He wasn't going to leave Stiles now, not after waiting for so long. He simply craned his neck into the hall and shouted for a nurse before hurrying back to the boy's side.

“How are you feeling, son?” The Sheriff returned his hand to Stiles' head.

“Itchy,” the boy squirmed sleepily, “which means I'm in a hospital. Great. What happened?”

“What do you remember?” The Sheriff questioned slowly, watching his son for any signs of stress, or worse, lying.

“Driving,” Stiles swallowed thickly, unsure of what story his friends had fed the police and doctors. “I think – I was driving?”

Several members of the medical staff came barreling into the room then, firing off questions and poking and prodding in more places than Stiles was comfortable with. Had he been a bit more lucid, he might have tried fighting all the hands on treatment, but his body felt utterly drained, as if he had played ten lacrosse games back to back, faced off with an evil Kanima Jackson twice, and held up Derek in the pool for several days instead of hours.

_ “Do you know what day it is?” _

_ “Do you remember what -?” _

_ “Are you in any pain?” _

Stiles blinked up at the nurse as her words swam at him in the sea of questions he was convinced the doctor was trying to drown him with. He squinted, having to think about the answer. He wasn't sure if pain was the proper way to describe how he felt or if the exhaustion was simply masking any discomfort he should have been feeling.

_ “Stiles, can you tell me -” _

_ “How many -” _

_ “The doctor will be in shortly.” _

“Do you remember anything else?”

Stiles turned and looked up at his dad, and then back where the nurse had been. He could have sworn she had just asked him about his pain, but apparently time had passed because Stiles and his father were again alone. Stiles wasn't even certain what answers he had given to the nurses, or what they had spoken in return. His loss of time must not have been obvious to anyone else, though, as his dad attempted to pick up their conversation from where they had left off. Stiles pathetically shook his head, his skull feeling more like bowling ball than just bone and brain.

“Lydia said that you offered to take her home because she was upset and that the two of you ended up taking a drive and talking. She told me that you got dizzy and lost control. You went through the side of a building.”

“Impressive.”

“Stiles -”

“What? I didn't think the Jeep could take that kind of abuse. It  _ did  _ take that kind of abuse, right? It's okay?”

“Better than you,” the Sheriff remarked with a lifted brow. “Stiles, what the hell were you thinking?”

“I'd love to clue you in on that, Daddy-O, but I barely remember the driving part, let alone the oh so manly passing out in front of  _ the _ Lydia Martin and driving through a wall. Wait – Lydia is okay, right?”

Stiles swore internally. It should have been his first question. The morphine was making the cogs in his brain feel like they were soaked in honey.  He wasn't supposed to remember what happened after the accident. He knew that Lydia was okay and safe. Of course, he also knew that Jackson had been a homicidal lizard who was killed by two werewolves and then came back from the dead as a werewolf.

“She's okay,” his father nodded. “Not a scratch. I should let you know, Stiles. Jackson is alive.”

Stiles pulled his best shocked face, which mainly consisted of letting his jaw drop and then just hang there for awhile. He didn't really have the energy for any of his usual dramatics.

“Alive? As in alive-alive?”

“Wasn't aware there were other kinds,” the Sheriff smirked.

“H – how? Do – do they know – I mean, what did the doctors say?”

“You don't need to worry about that right now,” the Sheriff patted his son's shoulder. “You're  _ awake _ , that's all that matters. Just focus on you for the time being, okay?”

“Wait,” Stiles' eyes narrowed, the exhale of his father's voice on the word 'awake' echoing in his mind. “How long was I ' _not_ _awake_ '?”

“Stiles -”

“Dad, just tell me. Please. What day is it?”

“Tuesday.”

“Three days?”

“It’s Tuesday morning. Just a little over two days. Relax.”

“What the hell happened to me?”

Stiles was panicking now. He remembered clamoring out of the Jeep after it hit the wall – and Jackson. He remembered Jackson's werewolf roar, watching him and Lydia embrace. He remembered remarking to Scott about how his tears were for his beloved Jeep and not the scene playing out in front of them. And then – nothing. Upon first waking, he had assumed he had merely passed out due to exhaustion. Or maybe Gerard had actually become a werewolf and attacked them. What if -

“Stiles!”

The teenager whipped his head to the doorway and watched as Erica Reyes bounded toward the bed.

Stiles arched his forehead at the girl who had once knocked him unconscious but was now grinning at him like a giddy schoolgirl.

“Erica? Wha – why -?”

“You're awake,” she took his hand, subtly squeezing it,  _ hard _ . “Thank God.”

Stiles locked eyes with the she-wolf and slowly calmed himself before he sent his body into a full blown panic attack in front of her and his dad. Whatever had happened, Erica would know.

“Dad? Can you give us a minute?”

The Sheriff hesitated before standing.

“The nurse said he's doing okay,” his father approached the girl in a tender way that made Stiles squint suspiciously, “but the doctor is going to be in pretty soon.”

“I won't be long,” Erica offered the man a soft smile, “thank you.”

Erica watched as the Sheriff stepped outside. As soon as the door swung shut, her hand leapt off of Stiles' as if his skin was coated in wolfsbane.

“ _ What  _ was that?” Stiles tried to sit up in the bed as he blinked at the young woman.

“Didn't you hear?” Erica drew a slender finger along the base of the bed playfully. “We're an  _ item _ now. Or a couple. Whatever people call it.” She waved a hand breezily.

“Wait, what?  _ You _ and  _ me _ ?” Stiles swallowed dryly, wondering if there seriously were pieces of his memory missing.

“Relax, Batman,” Erica laughed lightly. “Scott apparently doesn't have the brains to come up with a good enough lie on the spot, so I had to improvise. It's a long story. But it did come in handy when I had to explain why I was here all the time.”

“You – you were? Why?”

“Well, not just me. Derek has all of us taking shifts at the hospital. He, Isaac and Boyd are here when it's not visiting hours or they have to stay outside. Don't want to cause suspicion having people who actually don't really like you sitting at your bedside, do we?”

“Gee, thanks.”

“Scott's been here every day and your dad, well,” her voice softened here, “he's hardly left the room. Me calling myself your girlfriend made me able to be in here too. You know, your dad's a pretty decent guy. Kept trying to get to know me, bought me lunch once too.”

“What are you doing here?” Stiles skipped to the point, pausing only for a moment at the girl's quiet reflection. “And why does Derek have you all watching me? Since when does  _ Derek _ care about me? Is something wrong?”

“Did the doctor tell you what happened?”

“Hasn't been in yet,” Stiles shrugged. “Just nurses with questions. Lots of questions.”

“Yeah, there was a pretty bad pile up on the highway,” Erica moved toward the chair. “Think they're all a little busy. Scott's mom is downstairs. I was on my way in when I heard you wake up. I let her know so she'll probably let Scott know and he'll be here soon. I think I heard that your doctor is helping out down there too -”

“Erica,” Stiles lifted a hand, noticing the dull ache when he did so with mild interest, “whatever it is, just tell me.”

“I only came in here because I could hear your heartbeat when you started freaking out and I thought you were gonna say something to -”

“To what? Let the furry little werewolf secret out of the bag to my dad? Erica, that is the  _ last  _ thing I ever wanna do. And, for the record, I've been keeping that secret in that bag, tied up and then locked in a chest and buried in the deepest part of the ocean for a lot longer than any of you guys in Derek's new pack. Speaking of his pack, how about you tell me why you're all so suddenly concerned about me?”

“Stiles -”

“Erica, please. I just found out that I've pretty much been in a coma. What could be worse?”

She stared at Stiles with eyes that betrayed her. Despite the 'upgraded' supernatural abilities, wardrobe, hair, makeup and attitude, Erica was still, somewhere inside, that same human girl that had fearfully faced a rock climbing wall.

“A lot.”


	8. A Gift

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, this chapter is a little choppy. It's just a couple quick filler scenes. Figured you didn't want them served up as teeny tiny chapters each.

“Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?” Caroline slumped down onto the bed next to Elena's freshly packed carry on suitcase.

“We'll be fine, Care.”

“This is  _ werewolves _ , Elena,” the blonde waved her hands. “More than one, in a town that we know  _ nothing  _ about, all the way across the country so that we can't be there to provide backup in case you need it.”

“I'm hoping we won't need any backup,” Elena rested next to her best friend. “We're getting in, and getting out; taking Meredith with us, ‘whether she likes it or not’ - Damon’s words - and a watered down version at that. It was the only way I could convince him to do this. He doesn't want to get involved with these werewolves if we don't have to.” She sighed. “I still think we should help those people.”

“You can't help anyone if you're dead,” Caroline placed a hand on her friend's knee. “I still remember – quite  _ vividly _ – what getting bitten by a werewolf felt like. And it's not like Klaus is just going to come running if it happens to either of you.” She paused, pushing a stubborn strand of hair behind her ear. “Look, if you'd just wait a couple days, I can try to call Tyler again, explain the situation. He might have contacts out there -”

“Meredith might not have a couple of days,” Elena shook her hand, standing. “This werewolf threatened her. I have to do this for Ric. And for myself. I did a lot of damage this last year after I lost Jeremy. It's time I started using these new vampire powers for good instead of evil.”

“Elena, you were never evil -”

“I know, Caroline. But you understand, right?”

Caroline paused, reaching out to take her friend's hand.

“Of course I do. Just promise me that you'll be safe.”

“I promise.”

 

* * *

 

Before Erica and Stiles could finish their conversation, they were interrupted by a troop of doctors. Apparently, Stiles had become the hospital's new 'Show And Tell' exhibit. He assumed he wasn't half as interesting as Jackson's  _ Night of the Living Dead  _ routine, but he was probably the most accessible. Jackson's father most likely had the kid on lockdown and therefore Stiles Stilinski was performing a solo act for miraculous recoveries.

The audience was finally escorted out when Melissa McCall burst into the room with an air of authority that could have probably challenged their Chief of Staff. She fussed over him a bit after that and whispered about Scott filling her in on the real story. She then threatened to slap him over the head if he ever did some something so foolish again, while simultaneously thanking him for being so brave and helping to save her son. Toward the end of her visit, her subtle inquiries after his health were becoming less vague and more suspiciously supernaturally specific. Every time Stiles cocked a brow and clipped off a comment, Melissa scolded him and reminded him that making sure he was okay was her job. Her visit didn't help but make Stiles feel even more nervous over Erica's ominous final words about things being worse.

Somewhere between Mrs. McCall leaving to find Stiles' father and the Sheriff making his way back into the bedside chair that had become his home, the boy had drifted off before he could think on his fears too much. Mr. Stilinski was informed that this was normal, but the father still was uneasy about watching his son sleeping once more. It felt like somehow, someway, today could possibly have been a trick, or a one-time lapse. What if he didn't wake up again? Memories of Claudia scratched their way to the surface. Of those final years when the good days were so few and far between that sometimes he would wish they never happened. Those days when his wife would smile and laugh and hug Stiles until the kid finally squirmed out of her grasp. John knew Stiles put on a show of fighting off the affection. The child would have gladly remained wrapped up in his mother's embrace for the entire day, for weeks. Yet they always attempted to keep those days normal for Claudia. The slightest irregularity could act as a trigger and send her spiraling. And then the following day would come, and with it, no recollection of the previous or the progress. The Sheriff sometimes would think that it would have been easier for all of them had those good days never happened. So that when she ultimately fell away from them again, it wouldn't hurt so much.

Despite the pain, though, John knew he wouldn't trade those days for anything.

 

* * *

 

“Dad, seriously, I'm okay.”

Stiles wrestled with the tubes attached to his body as he feebly attempted to get as far away from this conversation as possible. He was awake again and already he had lost half of another day. He had to find out what exactly was going on - and get away from the interrogation.

“No, Stiles.  _ This _ is not okay. This is serious.  _ I'm  _ serious. I let this go earlier and you ended up  _ here.” _

“I just overdid it, Dad. It was stupid, driving after -”

“We'll talk about  _ your  _ poor decisions later, Stiles. Right now I'm talking about what happened after the game. The real reason you're here. You're gonna tell me what really happened. If you're afraid they'll come after you, or trying to protect someone -”

“I'm not. Dad, please. I just wanna go home.”

“Not until you tell me the truth, son. This is getting ridiculous, Stiles. I'm worried sick about you all the time. The restraining order, trouble at school, everything with Matt, and Jackson, there is obviously something going on here that you're not telling me, so -.”

“I got mugged - okay?” Stiles slouched his shoulders. “It wasn’t guys from the other team. It was some drunk who wanted my wallet and the keys to my Jeep. I was embarrassed. Felt like an idiot. The Sheriff’s son getting his butt kicked by some drunk hipster in a hoodie. And I didn’t see who it was ‘cause it was dark and his hood was up and I was a little busy trying not to choke on the concrete.” Stiles didn’t take a breath before barreling forward.

“Matt was a crazy person who snapped because well -  _ crazy person _ . He went after Scott because he had some weird obsession thing for Allison. And Jackson? Jackson’s a dick, dad. We were trying to get back at him for all the crap that he pulls on me at school and it just got way out of hand. I - I’m sorry.”

Stiles never wanted to paint himself as the damsel in distress. In fact, he hated the shade on himself. But it was a guaranteed way to get his dad to believe him, and back off. The Sheriff knew his son was proud and stubborn. He would never imagine Stiles would weave a lie that cast him in the role of the victim. 

Stiles watched with a guilty conscious but relief riddled heart as his father fell back into the chair. There was a shared silence as the Sheriff sat, scrubbing his face with his palms. 

“Mugged in Beacon Hills,” the man shook his head. “I swear, only you could find this much trouble in such a small town.”

“It’s a gift.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know you're getting a LOT of Stiles and not a whole lot of other characters. There are some that haven't even entered the story yet...sorry. Trust me, there are many more chapters to come with everybody involved. Stiles is just sort of the catalyst and star right now.


	9. Smells Like (Dead) Teen Spirit

Closing his eyes, Stiles breathed in the silence and darkness of his room. It was past visiting hours and there was enough suspicion around him and the whole hospital that even Melissa wasn’t going to risk the rules by letting the Sheriff stay. From what Erica had told him, Stiles knew that somewhere, outside the building, a werewolf was prowling, listening to his heartbeat. He wasn’t sure if that was comforting, or creepy. The she-wolf had explained to him about the Alpha pack, but Stiles was pretty positive his babysitters were there for other reasons. Something had happened to him. They tried to dance around the issue in front of him, but he figured it out and weaseled the truth out of them pretty quickly. According to Melissa, he should have been dead. Which was super not disconcerting to hear, at all, by the way. They couldn’t have waited like a day before dropping that bombshell on him? After his dad had finally been escorted out by a no-nonsense nurse, Stiles had spent the past few hours flipping through the encyclopedia of supernatural in his mind to figure out what was wrong - or right - with him. Apparently, Scott and Lydia and Deaton were already on it, and his doctor was considered a suspect too. But thinking over it helped clear the fog of morphine, so he ran down the list. He wasn’t a werewolf. That was the first world-of-weird box that got checked off. He was pretty sure unicorns were still just a myth, despite his love of  _ Harry Potter _ . The only other mythological creatures he knew that had healing powers were the Phoenix and the Caladrius, both from Greek mythology, both birds, and neither of them plausible. There was something about Medusa’s blood too. There were more, but he needed his phone, or wifi, to find those. Besides, his room had been on lockdown since he arrived, by both hospital staff and some unruly teenage werewolves. Someone would have noticed a great bird, or were-bird person, sneaking in. And apparently, Stiles wasn’t the only miracle case anymore. This morning, a bunch of people that should have died, just - didn’t. So, what then? Magic? Some sort of spell? He thought of Druids and Native American shamans and tried to remember the history of the settlement of Beacon Hills in case the hospital was built on some spiritual nexus. He was going to need his laptop. Right then, though, he was becoming increasingly focused on the sharp pinging against his skull and the grinding in his stomach. He reached over, fiddling with the tap on his morphine until he felt more of the sweet bliss blanket him.

“You’re in pain.”

Stiles’ entire body jerked when the shadow in the corner of his room suddenly spoke. The kid had been in the middle of attempting to readjust his upper half when a hiss had split his lips. 

“Maybe I’m in pain because you just pulled a Batman on me. Seriously, Derek, how long have you been there?” And then Stiles tried to think back to the last time he noticed anyone enter the room, and the sponge bath he had been given twenty minutes ago. “Wait - how  _ long  _ have you been there?”

“You’re in pain.”

“Is the record in your brain skipping? And yeah, of course I’m in pain. That’s what the  _ ridiculous _ amount of morphine is for.” He flicked the clear tube with two fingers and grinned.

“I’ve seen you messing with it whenever the nurses leave,” the shadow stepped forward. 

“Okay, really. How  _ long  _ have you been in here?”

“You’re practically overdosing yourself - and you’re  _ still  _ in pain.”

“Unfortunate side effect from taking a beating and then crashing my Jeep through a wall to save all your werewolf asses.”

“Stop.”

“I’m sorry. I don’t take orders from creepy guys who spend their time hiding in the corner of my hospital room. Did you watch me sleep? That’s very Edward Cullen of you, Derek. But he was a sparkly, stalker douchebag, so - wait, actually, not too far off. Except you don’t sparkle. Unless I squint  _ really  _ hard.” Stiles chuckled at that, cradling his stomach, but made a mental note to maybe add vampires to his suspect list, if they were even real too. Their blood had been used in movies and books and television to heal sometimes, and even sometimes fiction got things right, so - 

“Head injury.”

Stiles grunted at the mental interruption.

“Do you only speak in one to three-word sentences? ‘You’re in pain’. ‘Stop’. ‘Head injury’. ‘I am sourwolf’. ‘I am alpha’.” Again, Stiles was laughing at himself, brow bending and beading with sweat.

“Stop making yourself laugh, idiot.”

“Can’t help it. I’m just so hilarious. And adorable. Hilariously adorable.”

“Alright, that’s it. I’m cutting you off.”

Derek made a grab at the morphine line, Stiles reaching up to block him. Their hands skimmed each other’s skin and Derek felt the pain bleeding into him. 

“Head injury,” Derek repeated. “They said you had a head injury. So why are you in so much pain?”

“Don’t worry ‘bout it, big wolf-man,” Stiles patted the werewolf’s sleeve. “I’m  _ fine _ . You got bigger things to worry about, Dere-bear. Alphas are coming! Oh, whoops. Shh. Quiet! Don’t worry - Erica filled me in. Did you know we’re dating now? Huh. Neither did I! Oh, and I fooled my dad. Lied - again. He thinks I got  _ mugged.  _ Ha. He thinks I feel  _ fine. _ ”

Derek edged closer, seeing his opening.

“And how do you really feel Stiles?”

“I told  _ you _ . I am fine. Perfectly, hundred percent-ly, fine. Just your normal insides burning, fiery hot, everywhere pain. I - I’m gonna give myself more morphine.”

Stiles reached over just time to have his wrist grabbed by the Alpha. The kid looked like he might protest but then his cheeks lost a few shades of pink and Derek had the basin under Stiles’ chin just as the boy’s stomach’s contents crawled its way up and out. Stiles was still retching as Derek turned down the tap on his morphine. He was coughing up bile as the werewolf placed a steadying hand on his back. And he was still dry heaving when the Alpha looked down on him with the same eyes that watched Jackson bleed black blood in the high school bathroom. 

He had been sure Jackson was dying. If the black ooze hadn’t been a big enough deja vu inducing clue - his scent had sealed it. 

He had smelled like death.

And now, so did Stiles.

Derek had noticed it right away when Melissa had first accusingly dragged him and Scott into Stiles’ hospital room. It wasn’t until just then, though, that Derek realized that it hadn’t gone away.

Stiles was getting better, and yet, there was still something wrong. Derek wanted to kick himself across the Preserve for not cornering that doctor on day one and forcing her to tell him everything. And now she hadn’t shown up for her shift today. He had been busy with Jackson, and then had to hurry off when Isaac and Boyd were attacked by one of the Alphas. The two managed to escape, but only just. It almost seemed like the Alphas weren’t even really trying. Like they wanted to scare them, but still wanted them alive. Derek thought that might just worry him more. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who doesn't love some Derek-Stiles interaction? Especially when Stiles is heavily drugged. As always, please let me know what you're thinking about the story in the comments!


	10. Hostile Tendencies

Meredith Fell had every intention of going into the hospital that Wednesday morning. Her patient was sick. It didn’t matter that her career was on the line. It didn’t matter that this kid had a werewolf - or maybe more - as a friend. Stiles Stilinski was her patient, and whatever was happening to him now was her doing. She needed to be there to try to fix it. To fix him. Damned the consequences to herself.

Clipping her badge onto her coat, Meredith swung open the front door of her new apartment, and then promptly slammed it shut.

“Now, is that any way to treat an old friend who traveled across the country to see you?” Came the voice from the other side of the door that she was seriously considering bolting.

Meredith straightened, pulling on the handle and greeting her guest with a wry, half-crooked grin. Then she noticed Elena standing in the hall and offered a genuine smile.

“Sorry. I wasn’t expecting you. Guess I’m a little jumpy.”

“Oh, well, that’s probably because you used my blood to heal some stranger, who just so happens to be surrounded by werewolf pals.” Damon leaned against the frame and crossed his arms.

Meredith’s brow creased.

“Liz called and told me the whole Lifetime movie story. You felt bad. You gave the kid vampire blood. A werewolf threatened you. Let’s skip the ending where he and his werewolf buddies eat you and call it a wrap on this production, okay? You’re leaving, now.”

“Excuse me?”

“Damon -”

“We don’t have time for good cop, bad cop, Elena. Or any heroics. I agreed to come, to grab Mer, and to get the hell out of werewolf territory.”

“And I told you that we should help these people.”

“Do you see this?” Damon pointed to his head, turning to face his girlfriend. “Does this look like hero hair to you. We’re leaving.”

“Hold on,” Meredith lifted her hands. “Don’t _I_ get a say in this?”

“Yes.”

“No.”

Both vampires answered at the same time.

“Look, I appreciate the concern - I think. But I have patients that need me.”

“What? Are you the _only_ doctor in this one-horse town?”

“The only one with any supernatural knowledge to try to figure out why a bunch of patients who should be dead, miraculously aren’t.”

“What, did you just leave the vampire blood laying around for everyone to take a swig?” Damon rolled his eyes.

“I didn’t bring much with me. Just what I had left. For an emergency. That was the last of it. And yet, somehow, yesterday morning, Beacon Hills Memorial turned into _Touched By An Angel_ . Some kid who got cut up at a Lacrosse game and was pronounced dead and put in a body bag, just got up and walked out with his dad and their lawyers. A patient on life support for five years, woke up. Patients who should’ve been dead - who _were_ dead - aren’t. There was a big highway pile up. I was there all day yesterday and didn’t even get up to see the boy I had helped until late, and he was sleeping again. I would’ve still been there if one of the other doctor’s hadn’t practically pushed me out the door when I could hardly stand on my feet. I just worked three overnights in a row. I got home this morning and popped a sleeping pill. But my pager’s been going off all day. One of the nurses finally called my home phone. The board, the news, everyone is crawling around the hospital looking for answers to what happened yesterday. I woke up, saw all the messages on my pager, listened to her voicemail, and was heading out the door when you showed up. Now, I _really_ need to go.”

“No, you don’t.” Damon leaned both hands on either side of the threshold.

“What are you going to do, Damon? Hold me hostage in my own apartment until I come out, and then carry me caveman style all the way to the airport?”

“Or I could just find the landlord of this place and compel them to invite me in.”

“Or you could just come to the hospital with me. That way, you can make sure I’m okay _and_ I can help my patients.”

“Yes, let’s go to a hospital where there are _werewolves_. We’re not exactly on Klaus’ Christmas card list, so I don’t think he’s keen on curing us.”

“They haven’t shown any hostile tendencies -”

“I’m about to show you some hostile tendencies -”

“Damon, enough.”

“I really think there is more going on here,” Meredith sighed. “These are _good_ kids. I’ve met them.”

“Except the one that _threatened_ you!”

“What would you do if you saw your friend’s doctor suspiciously switching blood samples? He was a lot more in control of his temper than _you_ ever are. I saw his face, Damon. He was scared. They all are. They refuse to leave their friend alone in the hospital. Like they’re keeping watch. I even saw one of them pacing around outside when I left this morning. And that was at 7:00 AM. They never leave. And one of them - a girl - she was released from the hospital after being in for an animal attack less than six months ago. The kid that I helped - his friends said he was beaten up and then passed out while driving. The girl that was with him when he lost consciousness? The one that was attacked. From everything that I’ve found, every medical report, every news article, these kids look more and more like the _victims_. Not the monsters.”

“She could be right, Damon,” Elena folded her arms. “We know from Tyler that not all werewolves are like the ones that took Caroline. What if there’s another pack here? Hurting these werewolves? Or what if it’s something else?”

“Who _cares_ , Elena? Not our problem.”

“But we’re here, and we know something’s going on. If we just leave now, people could die. And then we’d be just as bad as whatever is doing all this.”

“If we don’t leave now, _we_ could die.”

“I don’t care. I’m calling Jeremy. Maybe he can go through some of Alaric’s research. See if there’s anything about Beacon Hills -”

“Stop.”

“I told you, Damon -”

“No,” Damon lifted a single finger, “stop. I think I heard something.”

“And I _smell_ something,” Elena’s eyes widened. “How many?” She whispered, knowing it was futile against a werewolf’s equally sensitive hearing.

“Three heartbeats,” Damon flexed his fist. “We have to go, _now_.”

“Maybe they’re the kids,” Meredith glanced over her shoulder, checking the latches on her windows. “I was expecting one to show up eventually with questions.”

“One, not _three_ . And you were _expecting_ this and you still stayed? I thought Ric would’ve picked a smarter girl than that. Get out here. We have to leave.”

“No. I ran here. I’m not running again.”

“Then invite me in and I’ll drag you away. See? Not running.”

There was a small crash from inside the apartment and Meredith turned to face the noise, unknowingly backing up, and over the threshold. The second her feet hit the hall, Damon had her around the shoulders.

“Time to go!”

“Let go of me!”

Two masses tore through the doorway then. A shock of blonde hair and a pair of broad shoulders were all that the vampires saw before they were tumbling to the ground. As soon as the group was all on their feet again, Damon grabbed Meredith and the vampires sped down the hall and out into the parking lot without hesitation. Damon secured Meredith in the passenger seat and was about to get in when he sniffed the air. The werewolves were close behind and Damon hardly had time to reach into his backseat before the male was on him. Damon rolled against the side of the car as his attacker slammed his body into the door. Without missing a beat, Damon tossed something small and clear toward the other man. The grenade exploded, just as the werewolf was turning away. The wolfsbane exploded, searing the back of the man’s shirt, and the skin underneath it.

The blonde paused in her advance on Elena, watching her Alpha sink to his knees. Damon stood over the weakened werewolf, smirking and lifting his arm. The blonde was already screaming in protest and horror as the car door flung open and Meredith nearly fell out, crouching in front of the wailing werewolf.

“Damon, no!”

The vampire’s hand was nearly at her throat when he saw her and stopped short.

“These are the ones I was telling you about.”

“And? _They_ attacked _us_.”

“Because _you_ attacked _her_ ,” the girl stepped forward, waving an arm toward the doctor.

“I didn’t ‘attack’ -”

“Just, shut up,” Meredith stood, “and help me get him inside before my neighbors call the police and you try to kill them too.”

Damon obeyed, side-eyeing the werewolf as he lifted the man’s arm over his shoulders.

“Grab the bag, Elena.”

“Damon -”

“I’ll play nice for now. But I’m not taking any chances. Grab it.”

Elena watched the blonde, who in turn stared her down, as she moved toward the car, hoisting the bag out of the backseat and over her shoulder. She sighed, frowning as she watched her boyfriend none-too-gently drag the injured werewolf through the front doors.

“Well, this should be fun.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, some action! And we get out of Stiles' hospital room. How am I doing? Love it? Hate? Wondering where the hell Stefan is? Leave a comment!


	11. Bourbon and Burn Victims

Jeremy paused the first-person-shooter game after the second creaking floorboard. His room at the Salvatore’s was finally all set up, new television and gaming systems included. Maybe Damon felt guilty for all those times he had threatened to kill him - and the one time he did. Or maybe he just wanted to keep the kid out of his hair. Either way, the teenager wasn’t complaining.

Damon and Elena had taken off for the airport this morning and Stefan was still, well, no one really knew where. Matt and Rebekah were off traveling and - Jeremy didn’t really want to think about whatever else they were doing. Tyler was off helping another pack out of state and Bonnie - Bonnie was sitting right next to him, but was still the farthest person away.

“Did you hear that?” He turned to the ghost.

_ “I was a little busy trying to figure out who the bad guys were in the game. I think they should color code. Or you know, shirts and skins.” _

Jeremy couldn’t help but grin. Even in death, Bonnie was always trying to make him feel better. Make him smile.

“No one should be here.”

_ “Maybe Stefan’s back.” _

“Yeah, maybe.”

Jeremy mumbled the words as he turned the game back on and set down the controller. The noise wouldn’t do much to mask his footsteps, or breathing, or even his heartbeat, from an intruder of the supernatural variety, but it was still worth the try. Alaric had taught him how to walk without making a sound and he did just that, slowly picking up his crossbow off the table as he passed it.

The teenager made it all the way down the staircase before a floorboard turned traitor, groaning underneath him. There was a whoosh and Jeremy had his weapon raised before the mess of blonde hair had stopped moving.

“Jeremy!”

“Caroline?” The kid let the crossbow fall to his side. “What are you doing here?”

“Oh, just, you know,” she bounced up on her heels and glanced around, “needed to refill my blood bag stockpile at home. Figured the others weren’t around and wouldn’t mind.”

“ _ Caroline _ .”

“Okay, fine!” The vampire threw up her hands. “I came here to see - you.”

“Me?” Jeremy lowered his chin and lifted his brow.

“Yes, you. Is that  _ so  _ surprising?”

“Uh, yes?”

“Everyone else is gone. Elena and Damon are on the other side of the country. Tyler and Stefan and Bonnie - none of them will even return my calls! This is our last summer before college. We should all be here, enjoying it together. Instead, all my friends have left me so I decided I’d come here and talk to you.”

“Gee, thanks.”

“You know we’re friends,” Caroline rolled her eyes. “Look, I was sad when you died,

okay? Sad for Elena, yeah. But sad for me, too. I’ve known you your whole life and you know something, we’ve  _ never  _ hung out, just the two of us. I know you’re my best friend’s little brother, but still. I know you liked Bonnie, and she was  _ totally  _ into you, and I’m  _ pretty  _ sure you two were more than friends for a while there. And you and Matt are practically besties. And Stefan and Damon have this whole ‘older brother’ vibe going on with you.”

“What’s your point?” Jeremy asked, not unkindly and with a grin.

“My  _ point  _ is that if the two of us have to spend this summer alone, well, we might as well spend it alone - together. Get to know each other. Be friends beyond all the ‘life or death’ moments. And drink.  _ Lots  _ of drinking.”

“Ah- _ ha _ . So that’s the real reason you came over here.” Jeremy shuffled over to the liquor cabinet, successfully stopping any tension or sadness from seeping into the conversation.

“Damon might be an ass, but he does have good bourbon.”

 

* * *

 

“I can’t believe you dated Alaric and you don’t have a single  _ drop  _ of bourbon in your apartment,” Damon shut the cupboard doors and returned to the sitting room.

“Damon, is this really the time?” Elena stepped out of the bathroom, carrying Meredith’s medicine bag.

“It’s always the time for bourbon,” Damon shrugged. “And, for the record, it wasn’t for me. For wolfy over there. Back looks likes it’s going to start pussing and oozing infection all over the carpet.”

“How selfless of you,” Meredith rolled her eyes, taking the kit from Elena and pulling up a chair next to the injured werewolf who had been deposited face-first onto the couch by Damon.

While not exactly tactful in his statement, Damon wasn't wrong. The Alpha's back was shredded, strips of shirt stuck to blistering skin that had started to bubble and bleed - and glow. 

"What the hell?" Meredith unzipped her bag but paused.

"I've never seen wolfsbane do that to a werewolf," Elena gasped and shook her head.  

"You put  _ wolfsbane  _ in a  _ grenade _ ?" Erica made to lunge at the girl, stopped by the hand on her wrist. 

She glanced down at her Alpha as he ground his teeth and gripped her arm. "You remember what I taught you?"

"That was for bullets," Erica gawked at him. "This is - Derek, this is  _ bad _ . Your whole back - the wolfsbane - it's  _ everywhere _ . Besides, it's already burned. You want me to burn your entire back, again?"

"What are you talking about?" Elena eyed the two of them. "Meredith can treat him and he'll heal. We've seen it before. Well, not the glowing."

"You've got to be kidding me," Damon shook his head. "You're  _ those _ werewolves, aren't you? I thought you'd gone extinct years ago."

"Damon, what do you mean?"

"These wolves aren't born," Damon gestured at the Alpha. "Well, he is. I can smell it. But these wolves aren't  _ all  _ born. It's not just in the bloodline. They can turn others. Ran into them before. Mostly weak."

"Not helping," Elena put up a hand and turned to the wolves. "What do we do?"

"You've done enough," Erica snapped.

"Burn it," the werewolf grunted from the couch and then groaned. "It has to be burnt out. All of it."

"You want us to set your back on fire?" Elena swallowed. "Can you survive that?"

"Control - the burn," he glanced from Erica to Meredith, "then patch - me up. I'll heal - eventually."

"We're talking third-degree or fourth-degree burns here," Meredith shook her head. "Worse."

"If we don't - do it - I'll die. Wolfsbane - will kill me."

Meredith stared into his hard gaze for a moment before taking a breath.

"Okay, okay. We do this. But we do it smart. Damon, I'm going to assume you have a blow torch or something in with those weapons of yours."

"How did you -"

"It was Ric's bag, after all," the doctor smiled sadly at Elena. "Damon, you're going to burn the affected area,  _ carefully _ . Doing  _ exactly  _ what I tell you to do."

"No way," Erica stepped between her Alpha and the others.

"He needs to do it," Meredith put a hand on her arm, "because I need you to be ready to fix him after and I need  _ you  _ to hold him down. And because you care about him. You don't need to cause him pain. You might hesitate - or blame yourself - if something goes wrong. Just hold him down."

"He's stronger than me."

"Elena will help," Meredith nodded. "Then she's going to help me."

"What do you need me to do?" Elena moved toward the werewolf's legs. She wanted to help and would hold him down, but that didn't mean she was going to risk getting bit. 

"After it's done, I need you to go to the sink and get me a bowl of cool, not cold, water and some towels from the cabinet. I have bandaging but not enough. Damon, you're going to get another bowl of water and soap. Elena and I are going to have to cleanse the area. I have some hydrocolloid dressing and ointments in my bag," she dug them out and threw them on the coffee table along with the bandaging, scissors and a scalpel. "We'll pretty much be beyond them at that point, but it can't hurt to be ready. I might need to remove dead tissue, but there also might be bleeding I have to deal with. So if I tell you to hand me something, or to  _ do  _ something, you need to do it, Elena, okay? Things are going to get messy and I can't have anyone in this room lose focus, all right?" 

The doctor looked to both girls, who nodded in return. 

“It’s Derek, right?” He grunted and Meredith picked up the scissors and began cutting the werewolf's shirt away. “Well, Derek, I’m going to give it to you straight. This is going to hurt, a lot.”

Derek just groaned in acknowledgment while Erica stood at his head, arms crossed and watching the doctor’s every movement. 

"Ready?" Meredith glanced around her at the others. "Here we go."

The scene played out much like Meredith had described it would, except for the screaming, she hadn't warned them about that. Erica had never heard her Alpha make such sounds before. For the most part, Derek gripped his beta's hand and kept himself from thrashing too much. He had tried biting into the couch cushion, but just tore right through it. His body would lurch and writhe without his consent and Erica would take the shoulders, while Elena dealt with flailing and kicking legs. Until a few minutes in, when the werewolf went limp. Meredith checked his breathing and pulse regularly. Thankfully, Derek remained unconscious for the rest of it all. Unconscious, but breathing.

Surprisingly, Damon followed the doctor's instructions, though he didn't much need to. He knew his way around weapons. He kept the flame just close enough to lick and burn the wolfsbane away. The fire took skin with it too, there was no avoiding that. But Damon had an almost surgical precision for doing the least amount of damage possible. Meredith had been worried the vampire would obey, but be careless, setting the werewolf's back aflame without caution or concern. She was pretty sure Elena's hard gaze on him had something to do with it. 

Meredith and Elena made quick work to soak the newly discolored skin. There were less blisters than before. Derek's back bled between sickly shades of black and white and red and yellow. There were patches of it just missing in some places, places where Damon had had to burn just a little deeper. Sometimes the shocks of white between the chaos wasn't skin at all, but bone. They peeled away dead tissue and cleaned what they could, Damon and Erica bringing them new bowls of clean water and more towels, and even Meredith's bed sheets.  Between the bone and blood and blisters and bandages, the women worked in shared silence. After retrieving another bowl, Erica picked up a rag and started to help. While the strangers tended to her Alpha's back, Erica tended to his face, flushed with sweat and pain. She cooled his brow and wiped away the blood from a few minor cuts from the fight. She was still soaking his forehead when his back was finally bandaged and the other women sat back on the floor and coffee table.

“Pup’s patched,” Damon declared, breaking the silence. “Let’s go before -”

The body on the couch shifted and groaned and Meredith was there, leaning over the younger man before his eyelids had finished fluttering open.

“Hey, welcome back. Don’t try and move. We’ve done what we can, which isn’t a whole lot outside of the hospital. But you should be able to heal now, given time.”

“Thank - you,” Derek’s voice cracked and he swallowed halfway through. 

“You shouldn’t move from this spot, really, unless you need to.” Meredith started collecting to bloodied towels together. “Even then, someone’s going to have to help you. You’re welcome to stay here until you’re well enough to move on your own.”

“How do we know we can trust you?” Erica seemed to suddenly realize she was still pressing the cloth against her Alpha’s brow and fumbled it, missing the way he looked up at her.

“Could ask you the same question,” Damon twirled the blowtorch and pointed it at her.

“I was talking to  _ her _ ,” Erica snarled without raising her voice, “but I don’t trust you either.”

“Meredith’s a friend,” Elena stood and stepped in front of her boyfriend.

“Of who?  _ You _ ? Is that supposed to make me feel better? I just said I don’t trust you.”

“She just saved him.” Elena gestured at Derek. 

“From something that was your fault.”

“She saved your friend. The one that was in the car accident.”

“Saved him? We don’t know  _ what  _ she did to him. He was  _ dead _ . He flatlined when they first brought him in. His father told me.” And Derek stiffened at that, because he hadn’t known. “People don’t just come back from the dead.

_ Except Peter _ , Derek thought with an internal snarl.

“Oh, princess,” Damon stood, making a scene of straightening his sleeves, “you don’t know how  _ wrong  _ you are. Time to go, Elena.”

“Wait, what?”

“We thought that they were the evil werewolves that were going to hurt Meredith. We were wrong.  _ Ergo  _ -”

“You know about the Alpha pack?” Erica’s head snapped up and she looked straight at the vampire.

“The what now?” Damon twisted his neck.

“You said you thought  _ we  _ were ‘the evil werewolves’. So you must know about the others. Who are you?”

“We read about the ‘animal attacks’,” Elena explained. “We thought you might be hurting people, and that you’d hurt Meredith for what she did.”

“And what, exactly, did you do?” Derek groaned out as she helped him sit up. “Do you have magic?”

“Me? No. No way. My skills are all strictly medical.”

“Then how did you heal him?”

“You heard the woman,” Damon motioned, “kick ass medical skills.”

Before anyone else could speak, the door to the apartment burst open and two young and panting werewolves came barreling in.

“Derek, we have a problem.”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am not a doctor, nor am I a wolfsbane expert. On TVD, wolfsbane grenades burned and blistered and whatnot, but they healed. In TW, wolfsbane needs to be burned out of the body. So, I improvised combining the two. But - hooray! More characters! And for every comment, I'll add another one. Just kidding, they are all coming, I promise. But comments wouldn't kill me, either. They just might make poor Derek heal faster, too...


	12. Here We Go

“Isaac, Boyd?” Derek straightened and then grimaced. “What are you doing here?”

“Two of the Alphas just showed up at the hospital.”

“What?” Derek was up and standing, despite the pain that nearly had him tipping over sideways if Meredith hadn’t been ready to steady him.

“Scott was there.” Isaac leaned against the wall, hugging his chest. “He and Jackson were on their way into swap shifts when he heard the fight in the parking lot.”

“He saved us,” Boyd nodded. “I mean, they both did. Jackson took a beating, though. We would’a been dead without Scott. We split off so the Alphas would have to split up too.”

“You left Stiles alone?” 

“What the hell is a Stiles?” Damon squinted.

“They weren’t interested in him,” Isaac shook his head. “But we still ran off just in case to draw them away from him, and the other people at the hospital.”

“We texted and said we’d take different ways,” Boyd continued, “trying to lose them through the Preserve and town, but we all were gonna meet here. We knew you were coming here.”

“So they’re coming here?” Derek eyed the windows and door.

“We didn’t know where else to go,” Isaac shrugged and then stumbled. 

Elena was closest and caught the kid on instinct, Erica hurrying to help. 

“He’s hurt,” Erica lowered her friend to the floor, lifting his shirt, “bad.”

Elena reached up, pulling the last clean towel off the counter and pressing it to the stranger’s wounds. He grimaced and the vampire offered him a tight, apologetic, smile.

“Why isn’t he healing?” Boyd joined them.

“It’s from an Alpha,” Derek crossed the room with the doctor’s help. “It’ll heal. It’ll just take time. Why aren’t you hurt?” He scanned his other Beta closely.

“It was like they weren’t trying to hurt us,” Boyd shook his head, “not really. I took a few claws to my arm, but I’m okay. They had something - like a needle. Got Jackson with it. I think it was wolfsbane.”

“So Scott’s out there being chased by an Alpha, carrying a wounded Jackson,  _ alone _ ,” Derek bowed his head. 

“Not anymore.”

The teenager slid to a stop just past the threshold, dragging the limp form of Jackson behind him. 

“How did you outrun it?” Boyd helped lift Jackson and bring him to the sofa. 

“Are you kidding?” Scott bent to catch his breath. “Stiles and I have been running around these woods since we could walk. I knew a shortcut. A shortcut that Stiles just  _ might  _ have set up with werewolf booby traps.”

“He set up werewolf booby traps, without telling us?” Derek was practically snarling.

“They’re not activated,” Scott lifted his hands. “All I had to do was flip the switches as I ran by. Laid up in the hospital, and he’s still outsmarting the bad guys. That’s my best friend.”

“Why are his eyes like that?” Elena looked from Jackson to Damon. “What kind of werewolves  _ are _ you?”

“The good kind,” Scott assured the stranger, who apparently knew about werewolves, but not their eyes and who didn’t smell quite human - and...this was all very confusing.

“What other kinds are there?” Erica glanced at her Alpha. 

“What’s wrong with him?” Meredith leaned over Jackson. “His physical injuries shouldn’t be causing this kind of reaction.”

“It’s the wolfsbane,” Derek moved to inspect his Beta’s wounds. “You said he was injected with it? There’s no wound to burn it out of. They probably meant to use it to knock him out and have something to cure him once they’ve taken him.”

“Taken?” Scott glanced at the Alpha.

“I think that’s what they’ve been trying to do. Think about it. If they wanted you dead, any of you, they could’ve done it already. You said it was like they weren’t trying to hurt you, not really. I think they’ve been trying to  _ take _ you.”

“Why?” Erica stood and checked through the blinds.

“I don’t know,” Derek ground out through clenched teeth, staring down at Jackson’s writhing form. 

“Will he heal too?” Erica followed her Alpha’s line of sight. 

Derek bowed his head and the silence was a deafening answer. 

“If we had time,” the Alpha ran a hand over his face, “or if we could get him to Deaton. But the Alphas are going to be here any second -”

“And that is our cue,” Damon glared at his girlfriend and reached for Meredith, “to leave.”

Meredith yanked her arm back before the vampire could whoosh her away. 

“I can’t leave them like this. I’m a doctor. I can help.”

“You can’t fight werewolves,” Damon advanced on her. 

“But we  _ can  _ help,” Elena instructed Boyd to keep pressure on the cloth she had been holding and gave Isaac one last smile before standing and moving closer to the shaking kid on the sofa. “I can give him my blood. Both of them.”

“Your  _ what _ ?” Scott and Erica echoed each other.

“Come again, Elena?” Damon stepped toward her. “You want to give your blood, to a  _ werewolf.  _ Tyler’s one thing. I can barely stand the mutt and I put up with him because you’ve known him your whole life. You don’t know these people.”

“Look at him, Damon. He  _ could  _ be Tyler. He can’t be any older than Jeremy. After what you did to one of them,” she gestured at Derek. “After  _ all _ the damage that I’ve done, that  _ we’ve  _ done, we should do this. I  _ am  _ doing this.” 

Elena didn’t wait for her boyfriend to respond as she grabbed a knife out of Alaric’s bag and slid the blade across her wrist.

“Hold his mouth open,” Elena motioned toward Derek.

“Do it,” Meredith nodded. “Trust her. If it’s his only shot, what have you got to lose?”

Derek closed his eyes. She was right. They didn’t have time to argue or move him. With a silent plea and a soft snarl, the Alpha cupped his Beta’s chin. He watched with suspicion and curiosity as the girl lifted her arm above Jackson’s head, letting her blood flow freely from the open wound, and directly into the boy’s mouth. Jackson coughed and sputtered, but eventually, swallowed. Shortly after, his breathing evened and his body relaxed.

“Okay, good deed done.  _ Now  _ we’re out of here.” Meredith again fought Damon’s hold. “If you die, because I let you get in the middle of some mutt turf war, Ric is going to crawl out of his grave, just to kill me.”

The room crashed into silence as the sound of Meredith’s palm against Damon’s face echoed. 

“That is the second time you’ve used Ric’s death against me today. One more time and he won’t have to come back to kill you. I’ll do it myself. I lost him too, you know. He may have been your drinking buddy, but he was  _ my  _ \- my -” and Meredith couldn’t find the words just then what Alaric had meant to her. Boyfriend sounded so juvenile. Her partner? Her soulmate? Her rock that had been smashed to pieces and sent her drowning? 

“They’re here.” Derek announced, standing. “Boyd, Erica, get Isaac and Jackson into the bedroom. Take the doctor with you. If it it’s you they want, we’re not giving them a chance.”

“I haven’t given him my blood yet,” Elena stepped toward Isaac, lifting her wrist over the werewolves mouth. “Drink,” she encouraged him and he obeyed.

Isaac’s body began to heal and he moved to help Boyd carry Jackson, casting a thankful, yet confused, glance back toward the vampire.

“You stay in that room and you don’t let anything in, understand?”

The Betas obeyed without hesitation. 

“Looks like your option of running just was taken off the table,” Derek flexed his fists. 

“I’m pretty fast.” Damon eyed the window.

“Not fast enough. They’re in the building.”

“And we’re  _ not  _ leaving Meredith,” Elena stepped forward by Derek, nodding at him. 

“Still got that bag?”

Elena picked it up off the coffee table and pulled out weapons, tossing them to Damon  and the others. 

“The grenades can hurt you, too,” she warned. 

“I think I got that message,” Derek stretched his back. 

“Easier to just rip their hearts out,” Damon shrugged.

“What?” Scott whirled around. “Who are you people? We’re not killing anyone!”

“Sure, kid,” Damon tossed a wolfsbane grenade in the air and caught it. 

“They’re in the hall,” Derek interrupted. 

“I don’t hear anyone else out there, do you?” Elena swallowed, to which Derek shook his head.

Damon and Elena sped to the doorway in unison, each tossing a grenade out in opposite directions. 

“Here we go.” 

  
  



	13. There Goes the Neighborhood

They could hear the werewolves screaming out in the halls from inside of the apartment and Elena prayed that none of the residents were stupid enough to investigate. If the cops were called, they’d have a good five to eight minutes, at least, to take down the two attackers and clear out before the police ever showed. With super speed and extra werewolves on their side, that wouldn’t be a problem. But if one of these so-called ‘Alphas’ used a civilian as a human shield or hostage, this wasn’t going to end so pretty. Thankfully, the wolves were hyper-focused on their targets and came bursting into the room mere seconds later. 

Although strangers, the new alliance seemed to be thinking as one as the vampires split, each taking an Alpha alongside a werewolf. Scott and Damon threw everything they had at the large, bald Alpha, and he gave it right back. Damon kept it simple, just as he said. He aimed straight for the beast’s heart, coming at the wolf from all sides. The Alpha was nowhere near as fast as Damon, but brute strength made up for it as he beat the vampire back with his fists, and once, his skull. Damon got in his own blows, shoving a broken piece of the coffee table Scott had just been tossed onto through the Alpha’s stomach. Damon had just pierced the werewolf’s leg, when he caught the vampire by the back of the neck and tossed him straight through the far window without so much as a pulled muscle.

Derek and Elena were holding the woman back from the bedroom door, but that was about all. The Alpha’s speed nearly matched the vampire’s and she moved with this ferocious ease that was unsettling. Derek launched a grenade at her face, knowing the explosion would still wound him. She twisted, kicking the wolfsbane to where it exploded harmlessly in the corner and moved to face the vampire. 

“Katherine Pierce?”

Elena’s round kick fell flat as the she-wolf backed away, drinking in the sight of the woman. 

“I thought you looked familiar, but I couldn’t place it. I’ve heard about you. Deucalion will be very  _ pleased  _ to - see - you again.”

“I’m not -” 

Elena didn’t get a chance to finish as the woman charged the other advancing werewolf,  who had been taking advantage of her distraction. Just as Derek was reaching her, a body came flying across the room, crashing into his. The two younger wolves tumbled together to the floor, Derek howling as his bare bandaged back hit the wall and then the floor The woman seized the opportunity and offered Derek the side of her foot across his face.

“Patience, sweetheart. It’s not your turn yet.” She turned toward Elena. “We came here for them. But Deucalion will want you too.”

“I’m not Ka-”

Elena hadn’t seen Damon being sent through the window and therefore didn’t realize that their second attacker was now free of opponents and targeting her back. The words choked in her throat as the thick splinter of wood went soaring through her chest.

“A bit close to the heart, Ennis,” the woman purred. 

Elena was too dazed to turn and defend herself from the second stabbing, this time the pine piercing through her right shoulder. 

“Better?” The man laughed. 

“Please, I’m no-”

The man’s hands were on her neck and twisting just as Derek and Scott were both pushing themselves upright. The vampire’s body slumped to the ground in a heap and Scott almost screamed. He had no idea who this girl was that had tried to help them and now she was dead. 

“Always hated beggars,” the woman scoffed. “We have one already. Just grab the boy and the girl. I’ll take her.”

The beast of a man made a run for the bedroom and Derek and Scott both leaped into action. The woman swung around, catching Derek by the arm and sending him back into the wall, his burns and throat screaming. 

“Oh, Derek. It’d be so easy to do it now. But then, where’s the fun in that, huh?”

She bent down, ripping one of the pieces of wood free from Elena’s body and rushed toward the Alpha. He dodged and landed an elbow to her side, but wasn’t quick enough to block her backswing. The wood dug through his leg as she twisted, sending one last kick to his head. His head was still spinning as his body sank to the floorboards when she turned around and helped their other attacker make quick work of Scott. The kid landed in a heap next to Derek again, where he didn’t move.

The woman dragged the dead girl off the floor and slung the body over her shoulder before marching toward the bedroom where the fight could already be heard. Derek reached behind him, gripping the wood and ripping it out with a growl. Stumbling, the Alpha pulled himself up and across the room, nearly falling through the bedroom doorway. 

A panting and purplish Isaac was draped over the side of the bed, while Jackson was pulling himself up in the corner, favoring his left leg but still taking a protective stance in front of the crouching doctor. Erica’s unconscious and burned form was splayed out on the carpet, four red gashes painting her chest and shrapnel sticking out from her shoulder and neck. And Boyd - Boyd was gone. 

Derek rushed to the window, finding an empty fire escape. He was already shouting at Isaac and Jackson to check on Erica as he lifted himself up to leap through.

“Elena!”

The Alpha turned as the vampire suddenly appeared behind him.

“Where is she?” Damon grabbed the Alpha by the throat. 

“She’s gone.”

Both creatures turned toward the doorway as Scott limped through the threshold.

“They took her?” Damon dropped Derek and advanced on Scott.

“No, yes,” Scott shook his head, staring only at the floor. “She’s - gone. They killed her.”

Damon’s eyes rounded and he took a staggering step backward. 

“I’m sorry, it -”

“You bet you’re gonna be sorry,” Damon rushed the werewolf, pinning the boy to the wall. 

“I’m gonna kill every last one of you mangy mutts.”

“Please, there was nothing I could do. I’m sorry. It happened so fast. He just snapped her neck and -”

“He  _ what _ ?”

“He - he - snapped her neck.”

Damon dropped the kid, patting his cheek a few times.

“It’s your lucky day, junior. I’m not gonna kill you - yet. How you doin’, Doc?”

“I’m okay.” Meredith nodded as Jackson helped her to stand then moved toward Erica.

“Good. Only got room for one damsel at a time. Patch up the dogs, would ya? Gonna need them.”

“For what?” Scott eyed his previous attacker.

“I don’t have the time to get some witchy locator spell action going on, so I’m going to need your noses to track down those soon-to-be-dead girlfriend snatchers.”

“You’re going to go after them?” Scott moved away from the wall and the man. 

“Isn’t that what you were about to do?” Damon wiggled a finger at Derek. “Go off alone on a heroic,  _ suicidal  _ mission to get your boy back? I noticed you were one pup short.”

“Derek,” Scott stepped toward him, “you can’t go alone.”

“He’s not,” Damon gestured toward himself. “Were you not just paying attention?”

“You’re going after them,” Scott repeated, “even though - she - your - she’s dead? What? You want revenge? Getting yourself killed won’t bring her back.”

“Oh, nothing will bring her back,” Damon waved a hand. “There  _ was _ this  _ cure _ , but that’s a whole other story. No, Elena’s been dead for a  _ long  _ time, now. Not as long as me, of course.”

Each of the werewolves moved back from him at that. 

“Oh, you really  _ are  _ pups if you don’t know about my kind.”

“I should’ve recognized the stench,” Derek rolled his eyes, “the speed -”

“The dashing good looks?”

“What the hell are you?” Jackson questioned, standing and letting Meredith take his place next to Erica.

Damon turned to face all of them, letting his eyes bleed to red and his veins come alive. 

“Hey, kids, meet your first vampire.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh. Elena's in trouble - again. But of course! How else was I going to get Damon to stay?? Otherwise, they'd leave and this would be an awfully short story. What did you guys think of finally getting some action? A lot of this story is friendships building, relationships, planning, etc etc etc. Sorry, but fight scenes aren't my forte. Of course, there will be more though!


	14. Not Out of the Woods

Caroline and Jeremy were halfway through their first bottle of bourbon when they got the call. The vampire had already cut the teenager off quite a few shots ago, but it didn’t stop her from trying to polish off the rest. Caroline was drilling Jeremy with 20 questions, trying to ascertain his likes, dislikes, and hobbies to ease her earlier sentiment of not knowing him well enough. When the interview took a more intimate turn, the former hunter steered the conversation in a safer, and far less humiliating, direction. They reminisced about Alaric and Jenna, and even Jeremy’s parents. Caroline had grown up knowing them and Jeremy secretly was reveling in any stories and sides to his parents he had never known. Caroline told Jeremy of times Elena had gotten in trouble, and Jeremy did the same. This evolved into embarrassing stories of the girl and then a full thirty minutes of Damon-disapproval discussion. But because she was Caroline Forbes, even over an hour, and a quarter of the bottle later, she still managed to switch lanes and bring them back to Jeremy’s love life, or whether or not he had one. The teenager flushed and then frowned, side-eying Bonnie’s ghost who had been making commentary the entire conversation.

Jeremy opened his mouth, closed it, opened it again, and then whispered a word of thanks to whoever was listening when the vampire’s phone buzzed.

“This better be good, Damon. I was about to squeeze some juicy secrets out of our favorite little Gilbert.”

“Elena’s been taken.”

And just like that, the vampire sobered, setting the cell to speakerphone.

“Elena? Taken by who?”

Jeremy leaned in closer.

“Some juiced up werewolves.”

“What, like they’re on magical steroids or something?”

“Eh - or something. It’s a long and annoying story, but the short version is that it involves a different breed of werewolves that are stronger than the kind Tyler plays fetch with, a do-good doctor, and missy hero pants Elena who can’t mind her own business.”

“Is Meredith okay?” Jeremy stood, collecting the hidden weapons from the throne against the wall.  

“Physically, she’s fine. Mentally, I just might have her committed for being so _stupid_. Matter ‘a fact, I’ll throw Elena in there too.”

“We’ll be on the next plane,” Caroline disappeared and then reappeared with two bags, handing the suitcase to Jeremy and opening the leather sack. “Did you call Stefan?”

“Oh, why didn’t I think of that? Oh wait, I _did_. Of course I called Stefan! But dear brother isn’t taking my calls right now so I’m stuck with you two benchwarmers.”

“Gee, thanks,” Jeremy started shoving the weapons in the leather bag.

“We won’t be able to get there until tomorrow morning,” Caroline zipped the satchel. “I’ll compel us some tickets on the first flight out. Do _not_ do anything stupid until we do.”

“Already tried,” came the reply. “They’re using magic to hide. Searched all over town with some of the not-evil-but-still-annoying werewolves here, but even their noses were useless.”

“We’re gonna need Bonnie.”

“Tried her too. Voicemail.”

“We’ll keep trying,” Caroline lead the way out the door, not noticing Jeremy glancing behind his shoulder. “You focus on making a plan. And a _real_ plan, Damon. And we’ll keep trying Stefan and Bonnie.”

“Do we know why they took her?” Jeremy tossed his suitcase and the weapons bag in the back as he slid in the passenger seat.

“One of them thought she was Katherine.”

“Shoot! Katherine! I almost forgot.” Caroline slammed her door. “We can’t just leave her in Mystic Falls unsupervised. Even as a human, who knows what trouble she can cause. I’ll have to call my mom.”

“Lock her in the Lockwood Cellar for all I care. Just take care of it and get here.”

“We’re on it,” Caroline twisted the key and sighed. “She’ll be okay, Damon. She’s always okay.”

“You better be right, Blondie.”

The call ended and Caroline handed the phone to Jeremy before slamming on the gas and peeling out of the driveway.

“How did you know about my bag?” Jeremy squinted at her.

“You were trained by Alaric,” she shrugged. “He turned us all into boy scouts. Mine’s in my trunk. Last time I was supposed to leave town on short notice, I got caught and dosed with vervain when I stopped at my house for my things. Call my mom and put it on speaker. Then we’re going to try Bonnie again. We need her the most to break the cloaking spell.”

“We can try,” Jeremy glanced in the rearview mirror at the ghost in the back seat, “but I doubt we’ll get through.”

“Then we’ll send her an email. Smoke signals. I don’t care. This is _Elena_. We need her.”

“I know,” Jeremy looked away from both girls. “I know.”

 

* * *

 

“You _live_ here?” Damon crossed the burnt threshold with a curious cocked brow but no invitation, and no comment.

“No,” Derek pushed past him. “But it’s away from anyone who could get caught in the crossfire if the Alphas attack, and big enough that we can all crash for the night. Safety in numbers.”

“Yeah, you really proved that today with how well you all took down _two_ of them.”

“I didn’t see you helping much,” Derek rounded on him. “In fact, all I saw, was you getting tossed out a window in round one while your girlfriend -”

“While she _what_?” Damon slammed the werewolf against the wall.

“While she kicked ass,” Isaac mumbled toward Erica.

“You got something to say, pup?”

“Scott told me how she fought.” Isaac shoved his hands in his pockets. “Pretty awesome.”

“Is she a better fighter because she’s younger than you?” Jackson chuckled. “How much longer _have_ you been dead?”

“Actually, the older we are, the _stronger_ we are,” Damon turned toward him. “So _don’t_ test me.”

“Didn’t seem that way back there,” Erica crossed her arms.

“Do _any_ of you appreciate the fact that I could easily kill you with my bare hands?”

“All I _appreciate_ ,” Erica stepped into his space, “is that you hurt our Alpha so he was weakened for the fight, while _you_ were taking a nap out on the pavement. I _appreciate_ that I have _claw marks_ on my chest that apparently are taking forever to heal. That while you were busy arguing, your girlfriend was making sure me and Isaac had weapons and that the only reason I’m here right now is because I had to set off one of those wolfsbane grenades _in my own face_ to get the she-bitch Alpha off of me! And _now_ I get to look like Frankenstein until my burns heal - the burns I have because we had to set fire to my _face_ to get rid of wolfsbane. _And_ my best friend is _missing_ . Taken by a pack of _Alphas_ who have spent almost an entire month tormenting us. A pack of Alphas that we can’t beat on our own. So we need your friends’ help. And the _only_ reason we need _you_ is because we need _them_. Even if they are all as useless and arrogant as you, a few extra vampires can’t hurt.”

“And a hunter,” Damon rolled his eyes, ignoring her speech. “No way I wasn’t going to be able to persuade Little Gilbert not to come when it’s his sister’s life on the line. I thought about having Caroline compel him, but then I’d have to waste my breath trying to persuade _her_ -”

“You’re bringing a _hunter_ ,” Erica’s fangs descended, “ _here_?”

“ _Please_ . I’m more of a danger to you than Jeremy _ever_ could be. Trust me. All he wants, all I want, is to get Elena back, and then we’ll all be out of this mutt infested town.”

“And why do I get the feeling that you’d do _anything_ to save her?” Erica refused to back down. “ _Including_ sacrificing Boyd, or any of us.”

“To get my girlfriend back?” Damon leaned against the wall. “I’d sacrifice _all_ of you. In a _heartbeat._ I’d kill you myself.”

“But he won’t.”

The pack turned in unison toward the door, crouching and tensing at the stranger’s presence.

“Heel, pups,” Damon waved his hands, “he comes in peace.”

“And we’re supposed to trust _you_?” Erica glanced from the man on the porch to the vampire. “After what you just said?”

“He won’t hurt any one of you,” the intruder continued. “I won’t _let_ him. And _Elena_ would never forgive you, brother.”

“Brother?” Isaac mirrored Erica’s earlier double take.

“Got your message,” Stefan leaned against the threshold.

“And you _what_ ?” Damon furrowed his forehead. “ _Teleported_ here?”

“I _was_ here. Well, about two hours south of here.”

“Of all the places, Stefan. California? Really?”

“Didn’t feel like leaving the country just yet. And it was the furthest away I could get without doing that.”

“Furthest from what?” Isaac crossed his arms.

Damon’s brow flattened as he glanced away from his younger brother. Stefan interrupted the silence with an extension of his hand toward Derek, who had drawn closer to him, conveniently placing himself between the stranger and the teenagers.

“I’m Stefan. I - _apologize_ \- for anything my brother’s said, or done to cause - well, just for anything he’s said or done entirely.”

“Derek,” the werewolf took his hand. “Come in. This was my family’s home, so we’re using it as a safe house.”

Stefan crossed the threshold at the invitation and Damon smirked.

“Is everyone from your pack here?” Stefan scanned the teenagers’ weary and worn faces.

“Scott’s not in our pack,” Isaac shuffled, staring at the floorboards.

“I’m still here to help,” Scott shook his head.

“Are there any more werewolves in town?” Stefan leaned against the burnt out banister.

“Besides us and the Alphas,” Derek sighed, “just my uncle. He won’t help us. But he’s not a threat either.”

“Right now,” Scott muttered. “Listen, I need to go back to the hospital.”

“What? Are you crazy?” Derek turned toward the Beta. “We said we’d stick together.”

“I don’t think they’re after me,” Scott moved for the door. “Earlier today in the parking lot, they were targeting Boyd, Jackson and Isaac. It was like I was in the way. And then later, they didn’t want either of us. They wanted _them_. They’re targeting your pack. Anyone that you turned. I think they picked Boyd just out of revenge or something because he managed to hurt the big one. And it sounds like that woman was obviously targeting Erica.”

“If they’re only after us, then why go to the hospital now?” Erica questioned, not quite hiding the fear in her voice at the revelation.

“Stiles. He’s alone and defenseless. It’s obvious they’ve been watching us, following us. Our scent is _all over_ his room. What if they go there, looking for one of you? Or what if they try to use him to get to you guys? They may not be after him, but that doesn’t mean they won’t use him or hurt him. Besides, I - I need be there with him.”

“Now that we know what happened, we don’t need to worry about him turning into anything,” Isaac reasoned.

“I know - it’s just - his dad texted me earlier. He’s awake now, but he’s not out of the woods. His fever spiked to 105. He woke up and started hallucinating. He didn’t know where he was. And then, when he figured it out, he started freaking out.”

“Why?” Derek ignored the worry in his chest. “He was fine before. In pain, but mostly fine.”

“Because - because of his mom. The confusion. Hallucinations. It’s like what happened - when she got sick. Before she died.” Scott bowed his head. “I’m just gonna sneak in and make sure he’s okay. I’ll camp out in his room overnight and be back here in the morning when the Sheriff comes to sit with him. I may or may not have loaded Stiles’ dad’s gun with wolfsbane bullets the other day in case he’s there alone.”

“That sounds safe,” Isaac hunched his arms up around his chest.

“You still shouldn’t go alone,” Derek shook his head.

Scott was about to argue when his phone buzzed from his back pocket.

“Hey, mom, I was just -”

“Scott, you need to get here, _now_.”

Her panic put all the wolves at attention.

“Mom? What’s going on?”

“It’s Stiles - he’s dying.”

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh oh. Did you really think Stiles was okay? Now what's wrong?


	15. The Family You Choose

_ “It’s Stiles - he’s dying.” _

The floorboard creaked beneath Scott’s sneaker and the whole house yawned. Bodies stirred under the crowning sunrise, dipping in between boarded up windows and cracks. Isaac shifted on the couch, a single arm splayed out, bouncing against Erica’s shoulder with each breath. She had fallen asleep while sitting on the carpet, back pressed up against the sofa, against Isaac. She had said it was the only way she could get comfortable with the still-healing stripes along her chest and bandaging across her cheek and neck. Now her head was tilted back, knocking Isaac’s knee. Jackson had practically had to be wrestled into submission by the Alpha in order to be persuaded to stay the night somewhere without down pillows and instant coffee. He was currently drooling over on a mattress in the corner. Across the room, Derek Hale leaned next to the window, one arm stretched above his head and eyes fixed on the surrounding woods. He was shirtless again, bright white new bandaging along his back. Between Meredith and Melissa and Deaton all stopping by, he’d finally been forced to have his burns reexamined and freshly dressed. But he refused their orders of rest. He’d been keeping watch right there at the window all night. Well, since they had returned from the hospital. 

The vampires hadn’t stayed. Damon had done a few more laps around the entire town in search of his beloved before retiring to a fitful night of broken glasses and brotherly squabbling at a hotel. Scott only knew this much because Stefan had shown up about an hour ago, mentioning something about needing to get away from his brother and then just as quickly left to take a run in the woods; to “get to know them better” and apparently find something to eat. 

Scott had never seen this many people inside the Hale house. Somehow, it made it feel even emptier. Looking around at the scattered slumbering members of Derek’s pack had Scott questioning if this is something like how the house once looked, with the whole Hale family crowding every corner.

Their presence punctuated the absence and Scott wondered if Derek could feel it too. The young Beta had watched Matt level a gun at his mother and felt the floor fall out from underneath him. And then she had called him last night, wetness choking off her voice.

_ “It’s Stiles - he’s dying.” _

It was Derek, again, who had held Scott firm to the Earth, kept him from letting his own wolf tear him, and anyone in his way, apart.

Derek, who had been sitting in class at Scott’s own school while his family was being murdered in this very house. And it was a house. It had stopped being a home the moment Kate Argent had lit the first match.

Derek, who was still squinting out the window, as if he wasn’t standing on the charred and rotten remains of his loved ones. 

And suddenly, every ounce of anger or resentment Scott had been holding against the Alpha was burned away. It blazed bright and hot and fast and left nothing remaining in its wake. 

Boyd, Erica, Isaac - they were all alone at school in their own way. None of them had a good relationship with their parents; Boyd’s hardly paying him attention, blaming him for what happened to his sister, and Isaac’s father paying him too much attention, all with blood and bruises. And sure, Jackson was drowning in his own popularity at school, but the discovery of his adoption had severed something between him and his parents. Derek hadn’t created a pack.

He had chosen a family.

And he wanted Scott to be a part of it.

Scott felt his phone buzzing against the inside of his pocket and slowly swam to shore and out of his stupor. He was staring at Derek and dropped his chin before the Alpha noticed. The time on his phone startled him. Had he really been standing in that same spot, sinking deeper in his thoughts, for over two hours?

The screen lit up the Sheriff’s number and Scott’s chest heaved.

“Scott, buddy, you gotta get me outta here.”

The Beta blinked and checked the caller ID.

“Stiles? What’s wrong?”

“He took it, Scotty. My cell phone. My games. Scott, he took the  _ wifi _ . I didn’t think he even knew how to do that.”

Scott sighed. Less than 12 hours after his fever had sent him into shock and his heart had stopped for four full minutes and he was already back to his old self. 

“I can hear you pacing. My mom told me you’re supposed to be in the hospital for a full day of observation. Weren’t the conditions of your release” - which in this case involved Meredith and Melissa going against their better judgment and medical procedures in order to keep them all safe from the Alphas - “this morning pretty clear about bed rest?”

“This isn’t bed rest. This is bed anxiety. My skin is crawling. My  _ brain  _ is gonna start crawling all over these walls, too, if I’m cooped up here alone.”

“You still keeping the mountain ash border around the house?”

“Yeah, I hid part of it under the welcome mat outside so Dad wouldn’t notice and called Deaton about the baseboards, like you said you’re gonna do at your place. Even my bedroom is lined. But come on, Scotty, you said it yourself. These big bad Alphas? They’re not after me.”

“But they could use you to get to us.”

“ _ What _ ? So now I’m just in the way? Some damsel?”

“That night at the police station with Matt, he could’ve killed you. He almost did just to get me to let my mom in. It’s what Gerard did. He hurt you to get to me!” 

“And I never wanted you to know that. This is why I didn’t tell you!”

“Yeah, and you not telling me lead to you being in the hospital. For someone so smart, you can be so -” Scott bit his tongue.

“So  _ what  _ Scott?”

“Look, Stiles, it’s just too dangerous for you to be anywhere near this right now.”

“When has that ever stopped me? Or us?”

“Well, maybe it should have!”

Isaac and Erica jostled awake in unison. Even Derek’s unbreakable glare glanced toward him, and then glided back.

“You see something dangerous, and you just run right in, right? Doesn’t matter if you get hurt. Or someone else. Like that night in the woods. We were out there because you wanted to see a dead body. Peter could’ve easily killed us. Or turned you instead. I’m a wolf because of that night. Everything is because of that night.”

“You mean because of me?” Stiles’ voice cracked on the other end. “You mean everything that’s happened is because of me?”

“Stiles, I, you - you could’ve died. You  _ did  _ die! And this is bigger than anything we’ve faced before.”

“Scott -”

“What if you  _ had _ died, Stiles? Huh? What would I have said to your dad? You would have left him alone.”

There was silence for a second. Scott knew bringing up the Sheriff would sting, but that was the point.  

“We don’t even know what happened to you! You were  _ dead _ .”

“So, what? You worried I’m gonna turn into some lizard monster too? I  _ know  _ that’s why Derek and company were hanging around the hospital. Not like he or any of them  _ actually _ care -”

“We have to be careful, Stiles. After Jackson -”

“Who  _ I  _ stopped with my beloved Jeep, thank you  _ very  _ much. Scott -”

“Stiles, I don’t  _ want _ you here!”

Scot could hear his best friend swallowing, breath hitching.

“Look man, I promise, I’ll call if anything happens.”

There was a long moment before the voice on the other end of the line sounded, small and sharp.

“Yeah, sure. Just make sure to text me if someone dies because I wasn’t there to save all your asses.”

Scott’s eyes were closed when he heard the line go dead.

“He’ll be safer,” Derek spoke up before Scott’s self-doubt got the chance.

The Alpha had planned on pushing his own pack away, if it came down to that. The option wasn’t exactly off the table, yet.

“I said it to hurt him. It’s the only way he’d stay away. First, Allison, now Stiles. Am I supposed to have anybody?”

“You have us,” Derek actually looked at him this time. “You could have a pack.”

“I had a girlfriend! I have a best friend.”

“And they’ll both be better off. And  _ you’d  _ be better off in our pack. You’d be stronger. We’d all be stronger.”

Scott paced over the yawning floorboard once more before bowing his head low. Isaac and Erica shared a look before lifting themselves up and wandering out of the room and into the uncovered back of the house, as if it was entirely natural.

“You know, Coach threatened to kick me off the team. My grades weren’t great before everything happened. Last school year, I barely passed any of my classes. I promised Coach, my mom,  _ myself _ , that once everything with the Kanima was over,  that this next year was going to be different. I was going to be a better friend, student, son, everything. I had Stiles and Lydia put together a reading list for me. I downloaded a Word-of-the-Day app and SAT prep. I asked Deaton for more hours at the clinic so I could save up and buy a bike so I wouldn’t have to always borrow mom’s car or make Stiles go out of his way. I had a plan, Derek. A good plan. It’s like it never stops. Peter, hunters, Matt, a Kanima, now Alphas? When is it going to  _ end _ , Derek? When do I get to just be a teenager again?”

There was a long silence and Scott was almost sure Derek had either stopped listening or wasn’t going to bother answering. 

“I hadn’t planned on telling you any of this.”

Scott’s head swiveled to meet Derek’s stare.

“About the Alphas. But then Boyd and Erica already had clued you into what they knew at the hospital and I knew it was only a matter of time before you went to find answers and figured it out, or got yourself killed because you didn’t know what you were sticking your nose into. But Scott, I wasn’t going to get you involved. You made it clear that you never wanted this life. I didn’t respect that before. Didn’t get it. I do now and I wanted - I wanted you to be able to just be that teenager. The teenager I never got to be. You deserved that.”

For a second time that morning, Scott’s mouth was swinging loose. He was pretty sure that in these past few days Derek had said more consecutive words to his face than he had ever heard from the man. He wasn’t exactly sure how he was supposed to process that, let alone respond. 

Maybe he wasn’t as alone as he thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry, you'll find out what happened with Stiles after that phone call later on.


	16. Welcome to Beacon Hills

“Are you sure we just flew to the other side of the country?” Caroline wheeled her suitcase behind her along the sidewalk. “Because, is it just me, or does this town look  _ exactly  _ like Mystic Falls minus a few hundred-year-old mansions?”

“Guess the supernatural just like small, boring, towns,” Jeremy shrugged. “Why did you bring your bag?”

“This isn’t mine. Elena found some of Meredith’s things when she cleaned out Ric’s office. I thought I’d give them to her while we make sure she’s okay before we join the rescue mission. Bonnie hasn’t called back anyway, so we’re stuck for now.”

She didn’t notice Jeremy’s frown.

“Ugh. I need a vacation,” Caroline continued. “A  _ real  _ vacation. Not a trip across the country to save my best friend. And to somewhere nice. Maybe a big city like London or Paris. Just think of the shopping. Not another boring small town.”

“Oh, I think there can be plenty to enjoy here, if you just look in the right places.”

The pair turned as a blond man wearing a crooked grin rounded the corner.

“Oh, really?” Caroline challenged the stranger.

“I’ve lived in Beacon Hills my whole life and every day I find something new. There’s more excitement here than you think.”

“Excitement, huh?” Caroline lowered her lashes and stepped toward him, “like the kind of excitement you get from kidnapping my friend?”

Before the man’s smile finished falling, Caroline had him face first into the side of a building, arm twisted behind his back.

“You don’t think I can’t smell a werewolf?”

“You don’t think I can’t smell a vampire?” The man ducked, pulling out of the hold. “Why would I flirt with you if I was going to attack you?”

“You call  _ that  _ flirting?” Caroline straightened, pushing loose hair out of her face. “And yes, maybe. Maybe you’re some sicko Alpha that gets off on it.”

“Alpha? You think I’m a part of the Alpha pack?” The man laughed low. 

“We were told there were only two packs in this town. And everyone not in the Alpha pack is with our friends.”

“Well, there’s your answer, sweetheart.” He circled her. “I’m not part of either pack. I’m more of a  _ lone wolf _ .”

“Did you seriously just say that?” Caroline stepped back from his prowling path. “So then, why were you talking to me?”

“Is it a crime to want to make the acquaintance of a beautiful woman?”

“Aren’t you a little old for me?”

“You know age is relative to creatures like us.” He straightened. “Why don’t we start over? I’m Peter.”

“And we’re leaving,” Jeremy rolled his eyes. “Sorry, man. We don’t have time for this.”

“If you’re going up against the Alphas, you might want to make time.”

“What?” Jeremy sighed. “You have some secret plan against them that you’re going to tell us?”

“I’m going to tell you to run.”

“Excuse me?” Caroline crossed her arms.

“I’ve been helping Derek try to find Boyd and figure out a way to stop the Alphas, but that’s all on the sidelines. I’m not part of Derek’s pack, so the Alphas aren’t my problem as long as I don’t get in their way. This isn’t your fight, either. Go home.”

“They took my sister. I’m not going anywhere.”

“Then you’ll die.” He turned to Caroline. “Both of you.”

“Vampires are stronger than werewolves,” Caroline moved her hands to her hips.

“I’m going to guess that you’ve never fought an Alpha before. You’re fast, sure. But they’re strong.”

“I’m stronger.”

“Maybe right now. But they’re smarter. Trust me. And they’ll stay hidden until the full moon gives them the advantage if they know vampires are here.”

“How do you know so much about them?” Jeremy fingered the wolfsbane syringe in his pocket.

“It doesn’t matter,” Peter turned.

“You could help,” Caroline blocked his path.

“What I  _ could  _ do is get myself killed. No thank you. But I wish you luck. You’re going to need it.”

Caroline and Jeremy watched as the taller man sauntered away with a wave of his hand behind him.

“Huh,” Jeremy crossed his arms. “Remind you of anyone?” 

“It’s Werewolf Damon,” Caroline nodded, and then laughed. 

 

* * *

_ “Give him your blood.” Scott rounded on the pair of vampires as he pocketed his phone.  _

_ “What? Who?” Damon rolled his eyes. _

_ “He’s my best friend and he’s dying - because of  _ this _ ,” Scott waved his hands. “Because he saved us.” _

_ “Well, he hasn’t saved my life, so -” _

_ “He’s human! He’s human and I  _ can’t  _ lose him. Neither can his dad. His mom is gone. My dad left. Neither of us can lose him, please.” _

_ “Where is he?” Stefan lifted a hand. _

_ “Beacon Hills Memorial. My mom is with him. She’s a nurse. She knows - everything.” _

_ “I’ll go.” _

_ “Whoa, whoa, Stefan. Holster the hero hair, bro. You don’t know this kid. You can’t just go around saving everyone you meet.” _

_ “Why not? If I can do good -  _ any  _ good - I’m willing to do it, to try to make up for every wrong I’ve done. And because it’s the right thing to do. Now, let’s go.” _

_ “You’re not going alone,” Derek placed a hand on Scott’s chest. _

_ And when a small mob of teenagers burst through the doors of the hospital, no one tried to stop them. These were the same kids who had been coming round the clock for days. The same kids who the doctors and nurses knew were about to lose a friend.  _

_ Scott was the first one around the corner, which meant he was the first one to see. The Sheriff collapsed on the floor, back against the wall and head cradled in Scott’s mother’s arms. The werewolf’s sneakers skidded against the tile on the turn and as he slid to a stop, the whole of time and space slid to a stop with him.  _

_ Lydia was already in the room, her body crashing into Jackson as the newest beta pushed his way through the pack, past Scott, to wrap her in his arms. He noticed absently as Erica swayed and Isaac wrapped a steadying arm across her shoulders. She had a hood up to hide her face and she turned into it, closing her eyes as she buried her head in Isaac’s shoulder. Scott could see Derek’s fist fly into the wall to his left and still, all was slow motion and silent and he didn’t move.  _

_ He stared through the plate of glass. The window that Stiles had mentioned he hated. Mentioned, spoke, right there in that room, lucid and living - not pale and stock still with one arm dangling over the side of his bed and wires stretching out like tentacles and a doctor glancing at her watch, mouth moving with still no sound, nurses backing away from the bed and no - no - no - _

_ “What are they doing?” _

_ The world snapped back, the rubber band flinging him forward, feet moving before his brain told them to.  _

_ “Why did they stop?” _

_ A hand - he didn’t know whose - fell against his shoulder and he almost bit at it.  _

_ “No! We just got here! We can’t be too late. We - we can’t. Go in there.” He turned to the vampire. “Go in there. Do it. Do it, now. Save him!” _

_ Stefan glanced at the body on the bed and then toward the boy in front of him.  _

_ “I can’t. He’s already gone. It doesn’t work like that. I’m sorry.” _

_ Scott’s world went red. When the color came back, he was up against a wall, and Derek’s face was in his own.  _

_ “You need to  _ calm down _ , now.” _

_ “I - I can’t. Stiles -” _

_ “Wouldn’t want you to tear someone apart because you lost control, especially right in front of his grieving father. Find your anchor, now.” _

_ “My anchor - is - it’s Allison. And she - we’re not -” _

_ “I don’t care what is going on between the two of you. Is she your anchor?” _

_ “Yes.” _

_ “Do you have control?” _

_ “No.” _

_ “Jackson, call Allison. Get her here.” _

_ “Allison?” Erica let loose her claws as she pulled away from Isaac. “After what she did to us? Are you kidding me? It’s her grandfather’s fault that - what happened - that Stiles -” _

_ “As much as I hate her family and what she did to my pack, if she is Scott’s anchor, then he’s going to need her. And - Stiles was her friend. No matter what she’s done, she deserves to know. Jackson, do it, now. Everyone, out! Only let Allison through here. Until then,” he turned back on Scott, “you need to focus.” He was whispering now, the pack and others having obeyed and dispersed and the Sheriff too distraught to notice the pair. “Scott, focus. I know what you’re feeling. Trust me. The grief? That’s okay. The anger? All part of it. You can’t stop that. But losing control of your wolf and hurting someone?  _ That  _ you can control. You -” _

_ Both wolves’ heads snapped to face the pane of glass.  _

_ “Was that -” _

_ But Scott couldn’t finish his question because the sound happened again and the young werewolf found himself breaking away from the Alpha and barreling toward the window. He had hardly reached the glass when the body on the bed on the other side lurched, convulsing, chest curving sharply into the air until the head lifted and mouth gaped, gasping.  _

_ Stiles was alive. _

 

* * *

 

“They’re here.”

Scott shook his head, still trying to stop the previous night from playing over in his head  on repeat as Stefan and Damon stepped through the threshold. He moved away from Derek, offering the older werewolf a solemn nod in thanks after their talk. 

The wolves were all awake and up now, shoulders curled and fists flexing. It wasn’t exactly an exciting thing to be welcoming yet another vampire and, more worriedly, a hunter, into their territory. They moved, following the vampire out the front door and meeting the pair on the lawn. The blonde bounded from the driver’s side toward Stefan and the wolves tensed. Instead of attacking, she pushed his chest with her palms with what was probably only half her real strength. The other vampire still had the sense to back up.

“Not a single phone call? Email? Text message? You just  _ left _ ?” She punctuated each question with another push. “If my best friend wasn’t in mortal danger right now, Stefan Salvatore, this conversation would be a  _ lot  _ bloodier.”

“Caroline, I’m -”

“You’re  _ what _ , Stefan? ‘Sorry’? I  _ get  _ why you left. What you were feeling. But I thought we were friends. And I needed a friend, okay? Tyler  _ left me _ , Bonnie went away, and Elena was busy being in la-la-land-honeymoon-phase with - whoops. Sorry. I’m sorry.” She stepped back, expression softening. “But I’m still hurt. And mad.”

“And on that note,” a brunette boy pulled himself out of the passenger seat, clasping hands with the vampire. “Hey, Stefan.”

“Good to see you, Jeremy.” 

And if it hurt to see Elena’s brother because the kid reminded Stefan of her, he didn’t show it, because Jeremy didn’t deserve that. 

“Little Gilbert,” Damon waved a hand, “meet the Motley Crew. Motley Crew, meet Little Gilbert.”

“I’m Jeremy,” he rolled his eyes, “and this is Caroline.”

Derek introduced his pack, none of them looking too keen on meeting the strangers. 

“Okay,” Damon clapped his hands, “both Scooby Gangs are all here. Time for the ‘Save My Girlfriend’ mission plan.”

“You mean, ‘Save Your Girlfriend  _ and  _ Boyd plan,” Erica crossed her arms. 

Jeremy reached into the backseat and yanked out his bag and sighed.

“Yeah, this should be fun.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gosh dang it, Stiles. Just stay healthy and alive. Also, I couldn't resist Peter having a bit of fun with Caroline.


	17. Don't Get Comfortable

It had been a week. A whole week of nothing but dead ends. The only thing that they were closer to, was killing each other. Beacon Hills was small, but the Preserve that surrounded it was anything but. The whole probably-being-hidden-by-magic thing didn’t help either. According to Jeremy, Bonnie had done a locator spell with no luck. In truth, the young hunter had reached out to another witch Bonnie knew, one that was alive. She really had performed the locator spell, and it really hadn’t worked. The witch tried every spell that Bonnie told Jeremy to have her try, all yielding nothing.

Lydia called Jackson every single day, like clockwork. She wasn’t entirely pleased with being told to stay away for her own safety, but their arguments never went as poorly as Stiles and Scott’s had. According to Lydia, Stiles was doing better every day, but he had yet to even text Scott. And Scott didn’t message him. The further his best friend was from this, the better. And Allison - well, Stiles had pulled a Lazarus and Jackson had never had to call her, so she and Scott were keeping to their agreement. She needed time and Scott was comforted with her being out of danger, even if his heart was hurting. 

Boyd was considered a runaway - again. Erica asked Stefan to compel her parents, and he did the same for Jackson’s. Isaac was working on emancipation in between strategy meetings and trainings and search parties. Stefan helped. This wasn’t his first underage supernatural and he had Liz in his back pocket to phone for advice. Besides, one story from Derek about the freezer and the beatings and Stefan was flashing back to his own berating and abusing father. And Scott, well, Scott got a phone call every day too. His mother was nowhere near okay with what was going on, but agreed her son was safer with the others. The Alphas had yet to make another move, and it was all Derek could do to remind his pack not to get too comfortable with the safety and silence.

Cooped up together in the remains of the Hale house had been doing little for the tension, and the tempers. They had agreed to make the move to Derek’s loft after the first full day of no progress.

That had felt enough like giving up to Erica. 

What next? They’d start going back to their lives? Leave Boyd to rot, or worse? 

She couldn’t stand it. 

She was nearly a mile deep into the Preserve when she realized what she was doing. She didn’t even remember leaving the building. 

“You shouldn’t be out here alone.”

Erica whirled around at the vampire, arms crossing as she continued to stomp away.

“So, what? I need a vampire babysitter?”

“No. Isaac noticed you were gone and Derek sent everyone out to find you.”

“I’m assuming ‘everyone’ didn’t include your brother?”

“He left after the usual search this morning.”

“Lucky him. Wish I could leave. This is driving me  _ crazy _ . I can’t  _ breathe  _ in there with everyone being so - I don’t know. Look, you seem like a nice enough guy. Especially compared to your brother, who is a  _ total  _ douchebag, by the way. And Caroline is - well - sometimes her optimism makes me want to punch things - but she’s -  _ okay _ . And Jeremy, well, Jeremy’s just adorable and I totally don’t mind accidentally catching him coming out of the shower, but - none of you would be here if Elena hadn’t been taken too. Jackson doesn’t care. He just wanted to be a werewolf and listens to Derek because he’s scared of him, and scared of getting taken too. Scott’s just too good for, well, his own good. He’d help anyone. In the beginning, it was just us. Derek and me, and then Isaac, and then Boyd. Just us. But that’s not the truth, is it? Because before Derek made us, he had Scott. And Isaac and Scott are pretty much best buds now. What about me? Boyd became my  _ best friend _ . My first real friend. And what do I do? I get him kidnapped by a bunch of psycho-Alpha-jerks.”

The two stood in silence for a long moment, Stefan letting the girl breathe.

“Look, I wasn’t there, but from everything I’ve heard, what happened to Boyd wasn’t your fault.”

“Yes it was. Not that day, exactly. But before.  _ I’m  _ the one that was scared when the hunters were after us. I’m the one that convinced Boyd to leave with me. He wanted to be loyal to Derek, but we were each other’s best friends, so he left, with me. And then we got caught by the Argents and were  _ tortured  _ \- and then the Alpha pack came after us. I think that’s why they kept targeting the two of us, because we got away that first time. We were only out there, because of me.”

Stefan sighed, stepping toward her. 

“These Alphas were already planning on going after Derek’s pack before that night. They could have targeted any of you.”

“But they didn’t.”

“Okay, they didn't. But does blaming yourself now, does that help Boyd? We all make mistakes, some of them deadly. Some of them we can never take back, no matter what we do to atone for them. You were scared. You wanted to survive. To live. You were a teenage girl who had just been  _ tortured _ . Who was dealing with being this new supernatural creature and your biggest problems went from facing a chemistry test to facing death every day. You need to cut yourself some slack. Forget about the guilt and focus on getting Boyd back from those ‘psycho-Alpha-jerks’.”

Erica laughed at his echoing of her earlier sentiment until her shoulders straightened at the same time Stefan’s hunched forward. 

“Speaking of psycho-Alpha-jerks,” Erica swallowed, fear evident in those wide eyes. “Time to hide?”

“Time to run.”

The vampire grabbed the girl’s hand and the pair sped off into the trees.

“Aren’t we leading them straight to everyone else?” Erica shouted over the wind. 

“They probably already know where we’ve been. They’ve just been waiting for one of you to go off alone.”

“I didn’t - I was upset - I wasn’t -”

“Blame, remember? Isn’t going to help us now. Keep moving. We can’t fight them alone.”

“How many did you hear? I counted three.”

“Definitely three. Maybe four.”

“Five.”

The arm seemed to stem straight out from a tree as it seized Stefan’s neck, sending both vampire and werewolf to a stumbling stop. They had been so focused on those following, they hadn’t noticed the fifth attacker already in front of them. 

Before either could react, the hand released Stefan, snapping off a branch and piercing the vampire’s throat. Another branch broke through the small of his back, bending upward and barely missing his heart.

“That’s enough!” A female voice hissed through his haze. “ _ He  _ doesn’t want this one dead. Leave him. Take her.”

Stefan slumped forward, but not before he watched as a pair of identical Alphas carried off a struggling and screaming Erica. He was just making to stand when a pair of strong hands gripped his head, twisting until bones snapped and the body fell. 

“That was easy. Why are these  _ things  _ so feared by our kind?”

“Quiet, Aiden! Ennis had the advantage of a surprise attack. In a fair fight, that  _ thing  _ could rip your head off.”

“Huh. Good thing we don’t fight fair.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Skipped a whole week, I know. But it's not like anything interesting happened. There's a lot of stuff to still happen so sometimes I'm going to jump to keep up the pace.


	18. Lies of Omission

“Gotta say,” Jackson crossed his arms, leaning against the wall of Derek’s loft, “not really impressed with how badass you guys are supposed to be. First, your brother gets tossed out a window like a rag doll, and now you get your ass handed to you by just _one_ of them.”

“He surprised me,” Stefan rubbed his healed neck.

“Surprised you?” Jackson pushed himself off the wall. “I thought you had super senses like us? How could anything surprise you?”

“It might have been because I was focused on the four following behind us and trying to hold onto _your_ friend. These wolves are stronger than those we’ve come across, but we can still beat them. Damon and Elena underestimated them because they assumed they’d be like our wolves. They had to use a surprise attack to incapacitate me. I felt its strength when he shoved that branch in my back and snapped my neck. Our kind is definitely stronger. Now that we know what we’re up against, hand-to-hand, we can take them.”

“Lot of good that does us now,” Jackson rolled his eyes.

“Excuse me?” Caroline placed both hands on her hips. “But what have _you_ done to help with any of this? Except sit here and complain every day.”

“Why would she even leave?” Jeremy rubbed his face.

“Don’t blame her,” Isaac stepped forward.

“Guys,” Scott lifted his hands.

“You said you had a witch that would find them,” Jackson pointed at the hunter. “That was a week ago. Where is she?”

“I’ve told you,” Jeremy lied. “She did a locator spell, twice. She tried every spell she could think of. They didn’t work.”

“Don’t blame Bonnie,” Caroline moved toward Jackson.

“If she’s such a good friend of yours, then why isn’t she here?”

“Why are _you_ here?” Jeremy waved a hand at the boy. “It’s obvious the only one you care about around here is yourself.”

“And the only person you all care about is your sister!”

“Elena saved us,” Isaac turned on his packmate just as Caroline echoed his statement.

“I almost _died_ today trying to protect Erica!” Stefan stood.

“But they still got her!” Jackson rose to face him.

“Do you actually care? Or are you just scared you’ll be next?”

“We’re all gonna be next if _you’re_ our protection!”

The vampire and werewolf were nose-to-nose now. There were a few tense moments before Jackson scoffed and sulked away, hiding his fear with a wipe of his hand down his face. “Call your boss again, McCall”

“He already tried. He doesn’t know how to find them.”

“Call Stiles, then. Between you two, at least he’s the one with half a brain.” Jackson recovered quickly, finding a new, familiar target.

“He doesn’t need to get involved in this.”

“Now look who's scared!” The newest Beta shoved Scott’s shoulders.

“We’re all scared!” Scott pushed back. “It doesn’t mean we should be ripping each other apart like this!”

“Always the peacekeeper, McCall. Do you even _have_ a backbone?”

“I’m surprised you know what one is.” Jeremy snorted from the sidelines.

“Shut up, Gilbert. You don’t even know me.”

“I know your type.” Jeremy lifted himself off the wall. “All bark, no bite.”

“Come a little closer, and I’ll show you my bite.”

“Ha. I don’t know if you’re flirting with him or threatening him. Either way, that just sounded really pathetic.”

“No one asked you, Blondie.”

“Only Damon calls me Blondie,” Caroline stepped between the werewolf and the hunter, “and I _barely_ tolerate it when he does.”

“I can’t believe any of you can tolerate anything that asshole does.”

“Your friends tolerate _you_.” Caroline crossed her arms. “I don’t see any difference.”

“Guys, stop, please -”

“Scott’s right.” Stefan stepped forward. “Arguing isn’t going to bring any of the people we care about back.”

“Makes me feel better, Salvatore. How do you cope? Wipe out a small village?”

“ _Enough!”_

Maybe it was the way the Alpha’s eyes burned. Or the fact that his roar shook the very floor that they stood on. Or the table flipping and then flying against the wall. But they all fell silent.

No one spoke as Derek glared about the room before swallowing a growl and pushing past them all and out the door.

Scott made to follow until Caroline’s hand met his shoulder.

“Someone needs to talk to him,” he sidestepped her. “He probably thinks that this is all his fault.”

“And someone will,” Caroline nodded. “But not you. Not any of you.”

“We’re his pack,” Isaac frowned.

“And you’re also reminders of what he’s lost, and what he could still lose if the Alphas keep coming after you. Besides, there’s something else you can do. Stefan, do you remember where you were in the woods when they attacked?”

“I can take them there,” Stefan followed her thinking.

“Good. Our senses are heightened, but your sense of smell is better than ours. Scott, go with Stefan. He’ll lead you to where Erica was taken. I know it’s a longshot, but maybe you can track the Alphas to where they’re keeping our friends. Or, at least, get you close. Call Damon. You’ll need the backup if you find them.”

“They’ll need more than that,” Jackson stepped forward. “We’re going too.”

“Did I say this was a group discussion? One, you’re _terrified_ and the only reason you want to go is to prove you’re not. And two, we aren’t just going to hand over what the Alphas want. If they find something, they’ll come back and we’ll make a plan of attack. But if the Alphas find _them_ , you’re not going to be there to be taken too. You and Isaac will stay here with Jeremy.”

“I’m not - “

“Jeremy, please. They’re going to be in full-speed-tracking-mode. You won’t be able to keep up. And I need someone here that’ll make sure neither of _them_ set one _paw_ outside that door.”

“Like he could take us,” Jackson huffed.

“With his eyes closed,” Caroline smirked.

“Derek should be going,” Isaac shuffled his feet.

“Derek is too angry at the Alphas, and himself, to think straight if it comes to a fight,” Stefan reasoned. “He’d get himself hurt, or worse. Caroline will talk to him. She’s good at this sort of thing,” he smiled at her, “trust me.”

The group watched her go, Jackson huffing off into a corner.

“Jeremy,” Stefan sighed, still staring at the door that Caroline had just gone through. “We need Bonnie. Not over the phone. We need her here.”

“I know, but -”

“Elena is one of Bonnie’s best friends. I can’t think of a single reason that she wouldn’t come rushing home if she knew Elena was in trouble. No one but you has talked to her.”

“She - she’s been busy.”

“Bonnie is never too busy for the people she cares about. You know that. Caroline and Damon know that, and they’re both two seconds away from figuring it out.”

“Figuring what out?” Jeremy took a single step back.

“That you’re hiding something.”

“Wh - what?” Jeremy glanced beside him, but there was no help to be found in either Isaac or Scott’s confused glances.

“I know there’s something you’re not telling us about Bonnie, Jeremy. There has to be. You’ve been lying. I’m surprised the wolves haven’t picked up on it. Damon’s too distracted to notice and Caroline trusts you.”

“And what - you don’t?”

“I trust, Jeremy, that you are a good person, a good brother, and a good friend. I trust that if there is something you know, maybe you’re keeping it from everyone to spare them more hurt.”

“Stefan, I’m not -”

“Jeremy, this is Elena’s life at stake. You have to tell us, whatever it is.”

There was something in the vampire’s eyes then. They weren’t accusing like Jackson’s had been, or how Damon’s would be. They were all soft, round edges, never leaving Jeremy’s own. And somehow, Stefan knew. Jeremy could see it. Could feel it. It didn’t matter that there was a ghost standing and shouting and pleading in the corner. It didn’t matter that Scott and Isaac suddenly both wore painted pained expressions. All that mattered, were those eyes.

Because of course Stefan knew. The first vampire that Bonnie had brought herself to befriend, to trust. The same vampire who had “left town” that summer too. Left because his heart had been broken, and yet here he was, helping them. Bonnie hadn’t had her heart broken by any of them. He was right. She would’ve come. She would’ve helped her friends. No matter what.

“She can’t help us!” Jeremy’s arms and voice threw themselves up before he knew what he was doing. “She - she _can’t_ , Stefan. Before - when - when she was working the spell that brought me back - something happened. It was too much. She can’t do magic anymore. She can’t help us.” Jeremy glanced at the ghost with a sigh. “She doesn’t want anyone to know what happened. Not yet.”

“But the locator spells?” Isaac squinted, shifting from the silent Stefan to the subdued Scott.

“Other witches. Powerful witches, I promise. Bonnie has been helping me all this time, but she can’t come back. Not now. Not when everyone is depending on her to fix everything. Not when the last time she - not with what happened when she brought me back. You weren’t there, Stefan. It was - it was awful. Painful. I’m sorry. I - I’m sorry. She should never have brought me back.”

Jeremy bowed his head, swallowing once, twice. Hoping that the lies of omission and half-truths were enough to fool the werewolves and vampire. Except that last part. That last part that he had muttered so low he wasn’t sure he said it aloud. That last part that was all truth. A hand came against his shoulder and Jeremy lifted his gaze.

“Bonnie always makes her own choices,” Stefan nodded. “I don’t think there’s a person or creature alive that could _make_ her do anything she didn’t want to do. Or stop her when she sets her mind to something. She chose to bring you back. And then she did it. You’re alive. You’re both okay, magic or not. _That’s_ what matters. Elena needs her brother. Mystic Falls needs its resident hunter. You’re worth it, Jeremy. Your life, is worth it. We’ll find another way. And we’ll get Elena back. I promise.” The vampire turned to face the room, straightening, hand still clasped on Jeremy’s shoulder with no sign of letting go. “We’ll get everyone back.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, the whole Bonnie thing starts to get a little unbelievable after a while, sorry. I changed my timeline around so the group has to stay ignorant for quite awhile. Just like I'm bending some of the other rules of the worlds to make this, just go with it - please?


	19. Of Rooftops and Pep Talks

Caroline found Derek on the roof. Of course the Alpha wouldn’t wander far from the remaining members of his pack.

“Is this the part where I tell you not to jump?” Caroline swung her legs over the side as she sat next to his standing form. “‘Cause, I’m gonna be honest. I don’t know much about whatever species of werewolf you are, but I’m doubting it’s a kind that can survive that fall.”

“Saw Scott leave with Stefan,” he replied after a pause.

“They’re going to try to track the Alpha’s scent from where Erica was taken.”

“I should go too, then.”

“ _No_ ,” Caroline grabbed his leg before he could move. “What you _should_ do is talk to me.”

“Scott -”

“Is _perfectly_ safe with Stefan and Damon for backup. They’re not going to just storm the castle, if they even find it. And you are _way_ too upset to think straight if it came to a fight anyway.”

“I’m fine.” Derek turned away from her.

“There’s a broken table downstairs that would disagree with you. And you’re needed here. Your pack needs you.”

“Half my _pack_ is missing,” Derek ground out. “Isaac is scared. And Jackson? Jackson is -”

“Just as scared,” Caroline shook her head. “And you know that. He needs you. They _both_ do. They need their Alpha. For guidance. For strength. Not for throwing tables and storming out.”

“It’s not like all that arguing was helping Erica or Boyd!” Derek paced away along the edge.

“Maybe not. But no one ever said shoving a bunch of werewolves and vampires together in close quarters was going to be easy. But you’re an Alpha and you need to start acting like one. Your pack comes before _everything_ else. Before your anger. Your guilt. Before - everyone,” she paused, glancing away only for a moment. “I’m not saying that you can’t feel those things. It’s actually a good thing. And you shouldn’t just bottle it all up until you have to run away to a rooftop. Your pack needs you, but you also need them. Let them see the walls come down every once in a while. Don’t let your emotions come between you and them. You can show them strength, by showing them your fear, and then not letting it stop you. Let them know you’re angry, and show them how you control it, so they know how to control it too. Don’t hide from them. _Help_ them.”

Derek finally shifted his precarious stance, staring at the vampire for a long moment before dropping his gaze to the parking lot below.

“I was never supposed to be an Alpha.”

Caroline wouldn’t have heard it without her supernatural senses.

“What?”

“I wasn’t meant to be an Alpha. My mother - she was our Alpha. And she was amazing. Respected. Feared. These Alphas would’ve never dared challenge her. My sister - Laura - she was the one who was trained our whole childhood to become the next Alpha. We never expected it to happen - like that - so, soon. But she was ready. She only really had me, but she just, she was a natural leader. A natural Alpha.”

“Scott said that you became the Alpha to save him - from the Alpha pack - from what’s happening to you now. That sounds like something a real Alpha would do.”

Derek frowned and moved away again.

“Scott shouldn’t have talked to you about that.”

“Well, at least _someone_ around here is halfway decent at talking and sharing their feelings. What? Afraid to seem like a decent guy? Because doing that for Scott was decent, and good, and something an Alpha would do.”

“That doesn’t matter. Scott’s not part of my pack.”

“Oh, please. Scott’s more a part of your pack than either of you want to admit.”

“He’s only helping because that’s what he does.” Derek waved a hand. “It’s who he _is_.”

“And being the guy that took the Alpha bullet for him? That’s who _you_ are. You knew he’d hate you for it, didn’t you? From the sound of it, you never were even going to tell him. Just let him think that you betrayed him to keep him safe. You want to know _why_ Scott is scared to become part of your pack?”

“He’s not scared to -”

“Oh yes he is. Sure, the two of you have all sorts of issues to work through. But that’s not it. Not all of it, at least. And I think you know it. You guys caught us up to speed on your side of things, let me let you in on a little of _my_ history. I was like Scott. I didn’t choose to be what I am. Someone - a vampire - killed me. Turned me so I could be their little spy on my own friends. So I could be some sacrifice in a ritual. Threatened my mother. Short version - she wasn’t a good person. But, I’m getting ahead of myself. When I first turned, I didn’t understand what was happening to me and I couldn’t control it. I _killed_ someone. Some innocent guy. Dead. _Because of me_ . I almost lost it. I wouldn’t have been able to get through it all without my friends. And my mom. My mom, who when she first found out what I was, wanted to _kill_ me. Gosh, I hated being a vampire so much at first, and I didn’t even know how bad it was going to get. But you wanna know something funny? I _found_ myself as a vampire. A better, more confident, stronger, happier, version of me I’ve ever known. But it took time.”

Caroline glanced up at the werewolf and then down at the lot.

“Scott didn’t have a choice, just like me.” She sighed. “And just like me, it’s going to take time for him to accept it. I think, for him, becoming part of your pack, any pack, just brings him one step closer into a world he never wanted any part of. Everything up until now, hasn’t been his choice. Not really. Just reacting. Survival. Joining a pack, letting that part of his wolf have that hold, _that_ would be a choice. A conscious, willing, step into that world. He’s just not ready - _yet._ Give him time to be ready. And give yourself time to become the Alpha that you _can_ become. For the wolves that I know, becoming an Alpha of a pack is something you _earn_ . You don’t just get to be it because of a bloodline or killing someone. You’re the Alpha of the pack _because_ the pack submits to you. _Because_ the pack respects you. The Alpha _gets_ his power from his pack, just as much as the Alpha _gives_ his pack power.”

When Derek finally found the courage to face the vampire again, their eyes locked and it was like the rest of the conversation, and ten more, played out between that shared gaze.

“How do you know so much about our kind? You all said that vampires and werewolves are natural enemies.”

“It’s like one of those old rich family feuds where most of the vampires and werewolves fighting each other today don’t even actually know where the hate all started.”

“And you do?”

“Let’s just say we _met_ the original family feud contestants.”

“There’s something else,” Derek’s brow narrowed.

Caroline pulled herself up from the ledge and paced away from the wolf and then back.

“My boyfriend,” she crossed her arms. “Or, well, I’m not exactly sure _what_ he is anymore. He’s a werewolf. A hybrid, actually. Vampire _and_ werewolf. But he was a werewolf first. And don’t ask me how any of that is possible because it’s a long story that will only make your head hurt and will probably make me start crying, and I promised myself after the three weeks of no returned phone calls from him that I wouldn’t do that anymore.” She paused and took a breath. “He’s also an Alpha. It doesn’t give him any special powers or different colored eyes -”

“He’s the wolf you said you called to help.”

“Called, but never got a call _back_ , yes. He’s off helping other packs. Another long story. We were apart for so long because he was running for his life and we can finally be together and now he’s gone again. That’s why I said pack comes first. I’m the one who encouraged him to become a leader. Who saw it inside of him. It was the right thing to do, but -” Caroline lifted her arms above her head, stretching them out before twisting them in front of her. “ _And_ I just suddenly made this all about me. Wow.”

“It’s okay.” Derek smiled and was surprised that it was genuine. “It’s a nice distraction. I think you already told me everything I needed to hear. It sounds like you’re good at that.”

“Good.” Caroline nodded. “Ready to get back down there?”

“One thing first,” Derek paused as he turned. “Your boyfriend, or whatever he is to you, give him time. Pack is important. But so are you.”

“After _everything,_ we were finally going to have time to just _breathe_ this summer.” Caroline threw her head back. “To be together without Klaus or evil ancient witches or anything. Just us. The summer before college. Together. Now I don’t even know where he is.”

“Summer isn’t over yet.”

“It isn’t,” Caroline glanced down over the parking lot, “but I think, I think we are.”

“He’ll come back to you,” Derek placed a hand on her shoulder. “He’s an idiot if he doesn’t. The last person I let talk to me like you just did was my sister. Anyone who is as strong and smart as you is worth fighting for. You two will find each other.”

“In the meantime,” Caroline bounced off the ledge and back onto the roof, rolling her shoulders and setting a smile on her face, “the only people I’m going to concern myself with _finding_ are Elena and your pack. And we _will_ find them, Derek. All of them.”

 

* * *

 

When Erica came to, bleeding but healing on a cold cement floor, she wasn’t alone. Blinking up at the blurry shape, she smiled.

“Boyd?”

But then she squinted and the fuzzy form focused in on black hair and sharp, dark eyes and pale skin and _not Boyd_.

“Who are you? Where’s Boyd?”

She made to sit up and a hand came against her shoulder.

“Calm down. They gave you a bunch of wolfsbane. That’s good. Means you’re a fighter.”

“Where’s Boyd?”

“I don’t know who that is, but I’ve been in here alone for days.”

“Who are you?”

“I’m a friend. My name’s Tyler.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think of the friendship forming between Caroline and Derek?


	20. With Friends Like These

_ “Who are you?” _

_ “I’m a friend. My name’s Tyler.” _

“A friend? We don’t even know each other.”

“Kind of united under a common enemy, no matter who we are. You wanna tell me your name?”

“Not really.”

“Oh-kay. But, seeing as we’re both stuck here, together -”

“Look, I don’t know you.” Erica sluggishly scooted away from the stranger. “Which means, I don’t  _ trust  _ you.”

“How are we supposed to get know each other to trust each other then if you won’t even tell me your name?”

“Maybe I don’t want to get to know you. Maybe I just want to  _ focus _ on trying to get  _ out _ of here.” 

Erica grunted, pushing herself up into some semblance of a stance.

“Already tried,” the stranger nodded at a series of cracks and holes decorating the wall. “Any time I started making noise, bastards put me down with wolfsbane.”

“What do they want from us?” Erica glanced around the room.

“You probably know more than me.” The boy shrugged.

“And why’s that?” Erica huffed. 

“Are you a member of the Hale pack?”

“How do you know the Hales?” Erica squinted.

“I don’t. My friends called me for help. Apparently, they managed to piss off a bunch of Alphas, or a bunch of Alphas were pissed at the Hale pack and they got in the way. I don’t know. I didn’t catch the whole story. Figured they’d fill in the details when I got there. Obviously,” he waved at the walls, “I didn’t make it there.”

“Your friends? The vampires? Elena and that douchebag boyfriend?”

“So you  _ have  _ met them,” the boy smirked.

“If you’re her friend, then you should know, the Alphas who took us, they took my friend Boyd about a week ago. And when they took him, they took Elena.”

Tyler went stiff. “Why?”

“Something about them thinking she was some vamp chick named Katherine.”

“ _ Awesome _ .” The stranger slumped and then perked up. “Wait, that’s actually a good thing.”

“You think your friend getting snatched by crazy Alphas is a good thing?” Erica lifted a single brow.

“No, but - they don’t know  _ I’m _ here. No offense, but Damon would never risk his life for some strangers,  _ especially  _ werewolves. But he would do  _ anything  _ to save Elena.”

“Yeah, like leave us all here,” Erica rolled her eyes.

“More like call in backup. Stefan, Caroline, Bonnie - the Alphas don’t stand a  _ chance _ .”

“Yeah, they’re already all here. Stefan was with me when I got grabbed. They took him down. Looked pretty painful. I don’t know how much help  _ vampires  _ are gonna be to us.”

“Bonnie’s a witch. A good one and a good person. Probably the best I know. Not to mention, scary powerful.”

“And  _ not here _ . According to your friend Jeremy, she tried a bunch of spells already from wherever the hell she is to find wherever the hell  _ we  _ are, and nothing worked. Not so powerful. And not so much in the caring for her kidnapped friend, I guess.”

“Elena and Bonnie are best friends.”

“Doesn’t seem like it. Are you a vampire too? You smell -” Erica wrinkled her nose, “you smell  _ like  _ them, but also -”

“Like you.” Tyler finished, frowning.

“How is that even possible?” Erica took a step back.

“I’m a hybrid. I was a werewolf and then I got turned.”

“So - you’re  _ both _ ?”

Tyler nodded.

“Does it make you stronger?” 

“Yeah, it does.”

“Can you turn someone else? Like another werewolf?”

Tyler’s head snapped up.

“This isn’t something you should want. Being a werewolf - I was still human. Mostly. I aged. I didn’t have to  _ drink blood _ . You have no idea what having this done to me was like. The pain. The death. The constant running. It  _ ruined  _ my life.”

“But you still have a  _ life _ . You’re alive.”

“No, I’m not. Vampires aren’t alive.”

“Well, they’re not dead. You’re not dead.”

Tyler slumped back against the wall. It wasn’t the force of her ferocity, but the absolute terror behind it. He knew all about masking fear behind anger.

“None of that matters,” he sighed, “because I can’t do it. It’s a long story, but, the way it was done, what it requires - it’s just not possible anymore.”

The girl’s head fell forward, a blonde curtain covering her face.

“That doesn’t change anything,” Tyler straightened his shoulders. “We’re not gonna die in here, you hear me? We’re not.”

 

* * *

 

“You think they’re dead?” 

Stiles leaned back in his computer chair, fingers scratching at his head. He was due for a trim but he just couldn’t bring himself to care. His dad had him on practically permanent house arrest and he and Scott hadn’t spoken for over a week. It wasn’t like he had other friends to turn to, not really. All their childhood and early teen years it had just been him and Scott against the world. Sure, he considered Allison a friend now, but that was more through Scott and those two were also avoiding each other, which meant Allison was also avoiding Stiles. She checked in through texts via Lydia, the only other human apart from his father Stiles had been in contact with lately. A few weeks ago and Stiles would have been reduced to a stuttering schoolgirl at the thought of Lydia Martin in his bedroom. This was different. She was there because Jackson was on his own version of house arrest from Derek and, really, who else was there in this town besides Allison that could she talk to about what was going on? Stiles knew that, given the chance, Lydia would’ve been spending her summer days with her ex-lizard-current-boyfriend, instead of moody-bored-out-of-his-mind-Stiles. He tried not to let it bother him, too much.

“Jackson told me that Derek thinks they’re still alive.”

“Because  _ Derek  _ is a reliable source of information.” Stiles rolled his eyes.  

“You could always just call Scott and ask him yourself.” Lydia pursed her lips.

“No, nah. Uh-uh. Scott made it  _ perfectly  _ clear he doesn’t want me around. If that’s the  thanks I get for saving his wolfy ass, then I don’t need him.”

“Then why do you bring him up every time I’m over?” Lydia side-eyed him, playing with a paperweight from the desk. 

“Wha - I do  _ not. _ ” Stiles grabbed the paperweight from her hand. _ “ _ And, for the record,  _ you _ just brought him up.”

“Because this  _ thing  _ going on between the two of you is ridiculous.” Lydia huffed and plopped onto the bed. “You guys have been friends since, like, the  _ womb _ . Why are you letting one argument -”

“One argument?” Stiles whirled in the chair. “He blamed me for him being a werewolf! He told me he didn’t want me there! That I’d be used as bait or maybe turn into a new creature of the week they’ll have to take down.”

“How  _ are  _ you feeling?” Lydia picked the paperweight back up and glanced away.

“Not you too, Lydia. I’m  _ fine _ .”

“You were dead and came back to life.” She put a hand on his chair to stop him from spinning away again. 

“And you not only survived being bitten by Peter, but also didn’t turn into a werewolf or a lizard. Stranger things have happened in this town.”

Stiles turned away from her, thumbs drumming absently against his desk. It was almost time for her daily phone call to Jackson and she’d be leaving soon anyway. Lydia sighed, picking her purse off the bed and heading for the door.

“He needs you, Stiles. And you need him.”

Stiles didn’t respond and she was gone when he turned around a moment later. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who is happy to finally see Tyler???


	21. Control

“Do you still feel it?”

Caroline glanced up at the full moon before hunching down on the edge of the rooftop, swinging her legs over the side. It was becoming routine. Derek may have owned the entire building, but there were still a lot of them that came and went and lived in the loft and the other floors, not to mention that almost all of them had enhanced hearing. Jackson was angry and antsy and constantly arguing. Damon had even threatened to compel him to silence, among other things. Isaac was quiet, but the fear and tension vibrating off of him in waves was enough to soak their supernatural senses. Then there was that thick sort of - something - that always seeped into any room that Stefan and Damon shared. It could get to be a little much at times. Caroline had started staying with Lydia on and off to get away from it all. And because the group had agreed that it wasn’t smart for any of them, especially the more breakable humans, to be alone. It helped that the girls got along, bonding over designer handbags and swapping supernatural, and boy, stories. Lydia had a lot less to share in the supernatural department, but she had been combing through the past year and picking apart different strange situations she had been involved in.

Still, Caroline couldn’t hide away in Lydia’s closet and hot tub forever, and made daily visits to Derek’s. She usually found him on the roof by the time she arrived in the late morning, the Alpha seemingly already fed up and needing a break from the others. They never mentioned it, but it became habit, starting and ending her days there like that. It was dusk now and Lydia and Jackson were close to finishing their movie date downstairs, Lydia armed with a spray bottle of distilled wolfsbane and a whistle, just in case the romcom triggered the handcuffed and chained werewolf’s tenuous control over his wolf. Scott and Isaac were on another floor, playing video games on an old television and Scott’s PlayStation. Stefan had taken off just as the sun started to set to patrol the town, something Derek would usually have joined him for had he not had to watch over his pack tonight. And Damon, well, Damon was off being Damon, probably with Jeremy there to babysit.

Derek hummed at her question, glancing at the vampire and then back at the moon.

“Every time.”

“And yet - no chains? No losing control? None of you?”

“I’ve had to work with every member of my pack to not lose themselves during the full moon, but it can still happen. Jackson’s having the most trouble. That’s why Lydia’s here. Isaac gained control awhile ago, but he doesn’t always keep it. And Scott’s had more full moons than them. He’d stop Isaac if he had to.”

“And Erica and Boyd?” Caroline whispered after a long moment.

“They - have control,” Derek frowned.

 

* * *

 

“I don’t understand,” Erica curled her knees to her chest. “I’ve been counting the days as best I can. Tonight - or today - whenever - _should_ be the full moon.”

“And?”

“I don’t feel anything.”

The creases in Tyler’s brow flattened.

“I assumed you’d just had learned to control it. But - I don’t feel it either.”

“And you didn’t notice?”

“The full moon is like a dull ache for me, now. I guess I wasn’t paying attention.”

“Well, it’s more than that for me. My last full moon - I almost killed Derek. What’s your anchor?”

“Anchor?”

“You know? The thing or person you hold onto. What keeps you human. Isaac found one. Boyd started reciting his cadet creed. Scott’s got Allison and Jackson’s is Lydia. I have nothing. No one.”

Tyler watched her for a long moment. Her words didn’t invite pity or platitudes.

“I think we’re different. At least, that’s what I’ve heard. Our lines were both created by witches, like vampires, but by different witches. Different witches, so different curse. I’ve only met a couple werewolves like you before. When we - when I turned - I became a full wolf. It was hours of agony, my body and bones breaking, then I turned into this animal, with no control. I almost killed my friends.”

Erica rubbed her arms and sighed.

“What changed?”

“Becoming a hybrid. I didn’t have to change on a full moon anymore.”

“I thought you said becoming a hybrid _ruined_ your life. Sounds nice.”

“It wasn’t nice! I was sired to the monster that created me. Mind-controlled by a psychotic killer who was trying to murder the people I cared about.”

Erica stiffened at the rage, and revelation.

“Are you still - you know - controlled by this psychotic killer?”

Tyler fell silent. The sire bond was broken but Klaus still was in control. Whether he was running for his life from the Original or chasing the monster that murdered his mother. Sure, he was helping packs now, but the thought, the bloodlust, was always there. Somewhere in his mind he had already started his plan of revenge once he had finished helping these packs.

“I was hoping for a pretty quick and solid ‘no’,” Erica narrowed her brow.

“No,” Tyler shook his head. “He doesn’t control me anymore.”

If she heard the lie in his heartbeat, she didn’t say anything.

“It doesn’t matter,” Erica ground her teeth. “Full moon or not, I can’t take it in here anymore. Not knowing. Not having any control. Next time one of them opens that door, I’m killing whoever’s there.”

Tyler glanced around, as if their captors could hear her.

“Are you crazy? Do you want to get yourself killed?”

“I don’t care anymore,” Erica shook her head. “They’re gonna kill us anyway probably. And maybe I am going crazy! I’ve been locked up with only you and these four same walls to look at! Going out fighting sounds a lot better than whatever they have planned. At least, this way, it’s my choice. This way, I control what happens to me.”

“There’s another way. You can make a different choice.”

“Oh yeah, and what’s that?” Erica rolled her head back against the wall.

“To fight, but not that way. To live. To live long enough for our friends to find us. Then, we can fight. Without them, we’re dead. But with them, we can get out of here.”

“And when they don’t find us?”

“They will,” Tyler nodded. “They will.”

 

* * *

 

Another week had passed and there were no further attacks, but there also weren’t any leads. Scott and the vampires were free to come and go from the loft as they pleased, and they did so regularly, to pick up supplies, sweep the town, and Scott even started going to work again. He had been determined to get his bank account, and his grades, both up this summer. He wasn’t exactly needed by the pack 24/7, especially with the lack of any sort of progress happening. Even Derek encouraged the kid to get out and live his life.

Stefan accompanied the werewolf to work now and then. The vampire liked the teenager, and it kept him away from both his brother and the constant bickering between Jackson and, well, everybody. He even tagged along to the kid’s house a few times because what else was there to do and maybe Scott was growing on him and maybe he didn’t want to lose another teenage werewolf and then later because he found Melissa to be an amazing woman who made amazing dinners - even if he didn’t need to eat food.

And he was helping Scott with the whole higher grades resolution, too. Stefan had mentioned that Scott should go to Derek sometime for this kind of thing - he had noticed a few of the titles, in multiple languages, the Alpha had laying around his apartment - but dropped it after the second time Scott turned the idea down. There was some sort of tension between the beta and Alpha, and Stefan knew better than to try to pry or fix things. That was more Caroline’s area and she was busy with phone calls to her mother, making Pinterest pages for her dorm room in the fall, shopping with Lydia, playing peacekeeper between Derek and his pack, and being on Damon-duty.

Keeping an Elena-less Damon from spiraling into his frustration and anger until he was ripping into the necks of Beacon Hills civilians, were Jeremy and Caroline’s full-time jobs now. Caroline offered backup on the bad nights while sticking to the daytime shifts when Jeremy trained, but it was mostly Jeremy who held down a barstool next to the vampire every evening.

Including the night when a skinny, definitely underage kid slipped onto the seat on the other side of the vampire and ordered a whiskey - straight.

“You’re kidding, right?” The bartender leaned with one elbow on the counter. “I don’t serve to minors in here, and I _definitely_ don’t serve to minors who happen to be the sheriff’s kid.”

“What about minors who happen to be the sheriff’s kid and therefore have a police scanner in their jeep and an app on their phone? I know for a fact that my dad is stuck at the station, neck deep in a pile of paperwork, otherwise I wouldn’t have been let out of the house. And the deputy who patrols the street outside this fine establishment only swings by every hour, in between making sexy-time phone calls to his boyfriend.”

“Hmm. Nope.”

“What about minors who happen to be the sheriff’s kid and therefore know that you got picked up two weeks ago on a DUI, ten minutes after your shift ended. Your boss know you’re drinking on the job? Or, more accurately, _drunk_ on the job?”

“You’re bluffing.” The bartender tossed his towel over his shoulder and turned to walk away. “Still ain’t happening.”

The dark haired man next to Stiles tugged on the bartender’s arm just then, drawing his attention.

“Just give him the drink.”

Without another remark, or even grunt, the bartender complied, sliding the filled glass under Stiles’ nose.

“Uh, thanks?” Stiles tilted his head toward the man.

“Don’t mention it,” the stranger smiled. “I like your style. And your drink choice. Plus, I’m semi-interested in seeing if you can actually handle it.”

Stiles cocked an eyebrow, staring down the man as he threw back the amber liquid, barely blinking.

“Impressive.” His supplier turned to the bartender. “Another.”

“Damon, we’re not here to get the local high school kids drunk.” A voice spoke up from the other side of the stranger.

“No, Jer’. We’re here to save my girlfriend, and since I can’t _do_ that, and since I have you playing babysitter, I also can’t do anything else that’s actually fun to take my mind off my complete and absolute anger - and hunger - so this? This is all I _can_ do.”

“My life is so weird,” Stiles shook his head. “A _vampire_ just got me a drink.”

“What did you just say?” Damon spun toward him faster than Stiles could swallow.

“You’re Damon. Not exactly a common name. Plus, this is a small town _and_ I am the sheriff’s son, so I know everybody. Oh, and you _just_ said you’re here to save your girlfriend. Elena, right? That would make _you,_ ” Stiles stabbed a finger at him to punctuate his point, _“_ Jeremy, her brother.”

“Who the hell are _you_ and how do you know all this?” Damon leaned in toward the kid.

“Whoa.” Stiles leaned back and put his hands up. “Are you trying to mind-control me right now? That is so cool. Your eyes totally went all intense and I’m pretty sure your pupils dilated a little.”

Damon squinted at the kid and then glanced down at the boy’s arm, gripping his wrist, and the bracelet dangling on it.


	22. I Am Not, Nor Have I Ever Been...A Witch?

_ “Stiles,” Chris moved toward the kid, eyeing their audience. “You need to calm down.” _

_ “No!” Stiles shoved his arms out at the older man, the lights in the bar sparking as Chris stood firm. _

_ The hunter’s eyes narrowed on the teenager as a few bulbs burst. There was another flicker and this time when Chris blinked back at the brightness, Stiles was gone.  _

Jeremy steadied himself rather easily after being deposited by the vampire. The kid, on the other hand, was a mess of tangled legs and green cheeks as Damon let go of his shirt collar.

“Well, hello little witch,” Damon crossed his arms, only to be rewarded by Stiles bending over in front of him, heaving.

It was the vampire’s speed that saved his shoes from the contents of Stiles’ stomach. 

“Nice, Damon,” Jeremy shook his head. 

“What? You rather hunty-mc-grouchy-pants in there get his hands on him?” Damon jerked a thumb back at the bar across the street.

“Don’t tell me you actually care about someone.”

“Keep it up, little Gilbert. We need a witch.  _ Tada _ ,” he waved his fingers at the kid still clutching his stomach, “we found one.”

“A  _ what _ ?” Stiles started to laugh before retching again. “I didn’t know vampires could move that fast. Did we move that fast? Or did I pass out?”

“They move that fast,” Jeremy sighed.

“Oh, okay. Then  _ now  _ I’m gonna pass out.” 

True to his word, the kid pitched forward, eyes rolling backward and body going boneless. Jeremy caught him before the boy’s head hit the pavement. 

“Isn’t this going to be fun,” Damon grunted, helping heave the stranger off the ground. 

“Hey,” Jeremy shrugged under the weight. “At least you’re not bored.”

 

* * *

 

The taste of his own pillow - and old vomit - woke Stiles. He didn’t remember being sick. In fact, he didn’t remember much at all. That was, until he tried to move and a gong cracked against his skull, sending flashes of faces through his mind. 

_ Lydia’s words had weighed him down until his heart could no longer bear it. He needed Scott. Damn his own pride. Damn Scott’s. They were brothers. The polished off bottle of booze from his father’s liquor cabinet may have been helping him along. Either Stiles was going there to forgive Scott, or wail on him, the bourbon hadn’t decided yet.  _

_ So when Stiles marched out from the protection of his mountain ash bordered house, armed with vervain and wolfsbane, he hadn’t been on the alert from regular old humans as he crossed town on foot. Because it would be Stiles’ luck that it wasn’t Alphas that found him, corralled him, cornered him, in that back alley. Just a bunch of drunk college boys. Because it would also be Stiles’ luck that, in his hurry, he had elbowed into one of them as they left the bar. He might have spouted something sarcastic, and well, very Stiles-like, when it happened too.   _

_ They left him on the concrete by the dumpster with just a bruised rib.  _

_ The panic attack had frightened them off. Probably thought they had somehow nearly killed the kid. They didn’t know that when they loomed over him, Stiles saw the face of an old man. They didn’t know that when they hit him and his vision blacked out for only a second, he was sent back to those days in the hospital, swimming in seas of darkness and pain and terror.  _

_ When he came back up for air, all he knew was that his attackers were gone and he wasn’t going to see Scott. Not like that. Weak. Vulnerable. Human. _

“Focus, Sleeping Beauty.”

Fingers were snapping in front of his face and Stiles scrunched his eyes closed tighter. 

“Do you  _ want  _ him to puke all over you again?”

“What I  _ want  _ is for our only chance to save my girlfriend to wake his hungover ass up. Now, rise and shine.”

Stiles was proud of himself for biting down on the yelp that had leapt up the back of his  throat when the icy water hit his face. Or, at least, he would have been if some sort of strangled off scream hadn’t still slipped out in its place.  

“Rude,” Stiles peeled back his eyelids, squinting at the unwelcome guests in his bedroom. “Whoa, whoa. Hang on.” The kid started scooting up his headboard but then stopped to put a hand to his head. “Ow.  _ Ow _ . But, still,” he swallowed back the bile, “I repeat. Hang on. You’re a vampire.”

“Good morning to you too. And you’re welcome for getting your scrawny butt home without being taken advantage of in your state last night.”

“Ew,” Stiles rubbed his face. “I’d say thank you but, you’re a vampire.”

“And you’re friends with werewolves.”

“And you’re not answering my question.”

“And you haven’t  _ asked  _ any questions.”

“Yes, I did. You’re a vampire.”

“You keep saying that.  _ Still  _ not a question.”

Stiles’ eyes blew wide and he sat upright, tilting only slightly.

“My dad. Wh -”

“He’s at work,” Jeremy sighed, understanding the kid’s ‘question’. “Damon compelled your dad to let him in the house, and forget he ever saw us. Your dad is at the station and he thinks you’re here, playing video games all day.”

“Compel?” Stiles blinked.

“It’s like mind control,” Jeremy shrugged. 

“You  _ Jedi’d  _ my dad?” 

“He’s  _ fine _ ,” Jeremy lifted his hands.

“For now.”

“Whoa, what?” The head-spin-and-snap motion that Stiles did toward Damon and then back to Jeremy had him almost heaving, again, but his mouth kept busy, despite the blurred vision and roiling gut. “You said last night that you’re the good guys. At least, I think you did somewhere in the fuzz. Pretty sure you’re vampire friend just mumble-threatened my dad.”

“Be happy I brought you back here,” Damon leaned toward the boy. “I liked your spunk last night.”

“My  _ spunk _ ? You gonna compliment my  _ moxy  _ next?”

“Careful. There’s a fine line between the amount of attitude I admire, and the amount that annoys me.”

“Listen, Hemo-gobbler. I’m  _ very  _ hungover, if you can’t tell with all your extra spidey senses. And, in a few minutes, when my bedroom goes back to my bedroom instead of this merry-go-round, I plan on crawling underneath these covers and sleeping for a solid day - and, thanks, by the way, for not tucking me in because it’s already embarrassing and creepy enough one of you carried me here. So,  _ whatever  _ it is you want from me, tell me now, before the elephant doing the salsa on my skull gets a dance partner.”

“We need your help,” Damon cut in, “more accurately, we need a witch’s help.”

“A witch? What? You need me to find someone? Use my dad’s connections?”

“Don’t play dumb. We’re working with your wolf friends and haven’t killed any of them - yet. We know you’re a witch.” Damon rolled his eyes. “We’re not gonna hurt you. What I can’t figure out is why they haven’t asked you for help yet.”

“I - you think I’m -  _ what?  _ Am I still drunk? Are  _ you  _ drunk? This, right here,” he waved his hands, gesturing up and down his body, “is 100% human.”

“Technically witches are still human,” Jeremy tilted his head.

“Fine, I’m 100% human and 100%  _ not  _ a witch. I’m just Stiles. Normal, human, clawless, powerless, Stiles.”

“You’ve  _ got _ to be kidding me,” Damon tilted his head back after eyeing the boy for a long, squinting, moment. “We finally find a witch, the  _ one _ thing we need to save my girlfriend, and we get stuck with a greenie.”

“Locator spells are pretty simple,” Jeremy shrugged, side-eyeing the ghost in the corner. “Shouldn’t be too hard for Bonnie to teach him.”

_ “Jer, he doesn’t even know he’s a witch. Give him a minute. I was freaked when I first found out.” _

Jeremy paused and side-eyed the ghost in the corner.

“Yes, except locator spells haven’t worked,” Damon spun and threw his hands up. “We need something that packs more of a magical punch. Besides, can’t hurt to have him on our side when we face any of those Alphas again”

“How - why do you even  _ think  _ that I’m some sort of Harry Potter?”

“Last night,” Jeremy started before Damon could scare the kid any more than they already had. “You were upset. The lights flickered.”

“So - so that crap bar has bad wiring and you immediately leap to the conclusion that I’m Miracle Max?”

“Look kid,” Damon sighed, his impatience bleeding through, “I’ve seen magic before.  _ That  _ was magic.”

“Isn’t witchcraft a family thing?” Stiles squinted. “Passed down? Hate to break it to you, but no one in my family history so much as floated a pencil. I think I would’ve noticed  _ something _ in my eighth-grade genealogy report.”

“Not if it was kept secret.” The three turned as a strawberry blonde young woman opened the door and walked across the room as if it was her own. “Most of the people that were drowned and burned in the trials weren’t real witches. The true witches were smart and skilled enough to hide their craft.”

“Lydia?” Stiles flailed in his blankets, bringing them up over his chest and then remembering he was still in last night’s clothing. “What are you doing here?”

“Well, let’s see.  _ You  _ texted saying you were finally going to grow up and talk to Scott, but then never texted again all night. Then Jackson tells me you never came by Derek’s place.  _ Then,  _ Allison calls saying her dad came home last night and started asking all sorts of questions - about  _ you _ .”

“Great,” Stiles flung his head back. “Now Argent thinks I’m some witch too. He’s wrong,  _ obviously _ . Just like you all are.”

“Fine,” Damon slammed a fist against Stiles’ desk. “Maybe he’s wrong. Maybe I am. Maybe we’re not. But  _ maybe  _ you’re tired of being a pathetic, useless human too. So,  _ maybe _ , there are enough maybe’s for you to shut up and  _ try _ , or you’re going to find out just how weak humans really are compared to vampires.”

“Did you just threaten him?” Lydia cupped her hips in her palms.

“No,” Damon shook his head and then suddenly, he was across the room, and Stiles was  no longer in bed, but pinned to the wall underneath him. “ _ This  _ is threatening him. I am  _ so  _ over playing nice. My girlfriend’s time is running out and  _ my  _ witch is having a power outage. Oh, and every other witch we’ve hunted down has a nasty habit of giving me a magic migraine and disappearing.”

“I wonder why,” Stiles choked out. 

“Jer,” Damon tilted his head while still gripping the kid’s neck, “call Bon-Bon. We’ve got a witch to train.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is Stiles a witch? Or something else? Why did his body react that way to vampire blood? Why are drunk college boys so mean? What the heck is going on?


	23. A Vampire and a Hunter Walk Into a Bar

_Damon squinted at the kid and then glanced down at the boy’s arm, gripping his wrist, and the bracelet dangling on it._

“Wasn’t sure if you had to be wearing it or ingest it, so I’ve been doing both.” Stiles wriggled his wrist in the vampire’s grasp.

“Where did you get it?” Jeremy stood from his stool and moved closer to the boy as Damon dropped the arm like it had offended him.

“You can get anything online, dude. The minute I found out - _vampires_ ,” he whispered, leaning forward for effect, “were in town, well, first I spent a good half an hour freaking out that you’re real - but then I dove nose deep into the bestiary - and Google. Ordered vervain that same day. And quite possibly some wooden stakes.”

“You ordered _wooden stakes_ online?” Jeremy choked on a laugh.

“Amazon. Two-day shipping, my friend. And I was practically on house arrest so it wasn’t like I could go out to the preserve and widdle some. And I didn’t feel like pulling a Buffy and just breaking apart the kitchen chairs.”

“You _do_ know we’re the good guys, right?” Jeremy grinned.

“I also know how many ‘animal attacks’ have occurred in your little hometown of _Mystic_ Falls - super creepy and subtle name by the way - and that number is _way_ more than ours. Better safe than sorry, right?”

“Wait - _Stiles_. You’re Scott’s friend,” Jeremy nodded.

“Loose term,” Stiles mumbled into his second glass before finishing it.

“Well aren’t you the little engine that could,” Damon slapped Stiles on the back. “Another!”

“Hang on, Thor. I can’t afford another. This is top shelf.”

“Don’t sweat it,” Damon waved a hand. “I’m buying. Or, compelling. Oh, and I’m the only one who does nicknames.”

“Not anymore.” He lifted his glass. “And thanks.”

“So spill, what’s got the Sheriff’s underage son trying to blackmail bartenders?”

“Damon -”

“What? So far, all I’ve had for company every night is you and Blondie. I’m _bored_. He already seems only half as annoying as the rest of the Brady Wolf Bunch.”

“Thanks?” Stiles squinted, cocking his head.

“Alright, so let’s hear it. And, _try_ to keep in mind that my girlfriend is missing, possibly in peril, and I have a _bit_ of a temper problem, which _has_ been known to, in the past, spark some nasty _binge drinking_ from something a lot better than the top shelf, if you catch what I’m throwing, and you’re now officially my new distraction. So - _no pressure_.”

“Are - are you being serious? Is he being serious?”

“He’s not going to hurt anyone,” Jeremy crossed his arms.

“But it’s a usual thing? You get angry and people just - what? - _get_ _dead_?”

“Hey, that’s _all_ in the past.” Damon patted him on the shoulder.

“How far in the past? Like 100 years ago? Yesterday? Time must mean pretty little to you guys.”

“I’m _working_ on it, okay? See? Got myself a big bad hunter sponsor right here.” He clapped Jeremy on the back. “You run with wolves, kid.”

“Yeah, but they don’t _kill_ people. I mean, Peter did, but he was evil. And Jackson did - but he was sort of a giant lizard monster at the time who was being controlled. And Derek killed Peter, but, _again_ Peter equals evil, and the guy even came back to life so does that really count?”

“Trust me,” Jeremy rubbed his neck and glared sideways at Damon, “it counts.”

“Are all vampires killers?”

“Why do you care?” Damon rolled his eyes.

“I don’t know, maybe because I’m sitting right next to one? Maybe because I don’t think people should just be killed because you’re angry or hungry. Maybe because the Sheriff is my father and I was taught right and wrong. Maybe ‘cause Scott, Scott who is always trying to _save_ everyone, is spending his time with killers instead of me. Who is trusting vampires, who possibly kill people when they’re bored in a bar, instead of _me_!”

Damon eyed the kid’s empty glass, realizing he couldn’t remember how many the bartender had poured. Jeremy glanced at the few people who had turned their heads at the outburst.

“And why wouldn’t he?” Stiles reached for his glass as Damon pulled it away. “I’m just some _human_.”

“I think you’ve had enough,” Jeremy approached the kid and then turned up his nose. “How much did you have to drink before you got here?”

“How much was left in my dad’s bottle?” Stiles laughed.

“Damon, why the hell were you buying some teenage stranger drinks when you _had_ to have smelled it on him when he walked in?”

“Like I said,” Damon shrugged, “ _bored_.”

“Great. You’re bored and now the Sheriff’s son is yelling about vampires in a bar. Come on, we need to get you home.”

Jeremy’s hand came down on Stiles’ shoulder and the kid reeled back, knocking over his stool.

“Don’t touch me!”

“Everything alright over here?”

The trio turned as a bearded man leaned against the bar in the way of an old western film, casually placing himself in front of Stiles.

“Retired hunter,” the man placed a hand on his hip, revealing the gun - and stake - under his jacket. “And I’d _really_ like to not come out of retirement anytime soon.”

Damon opened his mouth, his scathing retort interrupted as Stiles knocked over another barstool.

“Why are _you_ here?”

“I _was_ getting a drink. Why are _you_ here, Stiles?”

“I _was_ getting a drunk. Why are you here?”

“Go _home_ , Stiles.”

“Are you suggesting I drive and drink?”

“We can take him,” Jeremy sighed.

“You’re not going anywhere with him,” the man directed the comment toward Damon.

“So who’s gonna take me, then?” Stiles whirled around toward the man, stumbling. “ _You_? You don’t even _like_ me. You’ve _threatened_ me. And my friends. And let’s not forget about happy-basement-fun-time with your psycho dad, _which_ \- in case you didn’t know ‘cause you disappeared after that night and never came to visit or check on me since it _was_ your dad who did it, but hey, who cares, I’m just _Stiles,_ the breakable human - almost killed me. Actually, it _did_ kill me. For like a minute. Heart just stopped.” Stiles held his palm flat in the air and sliced it, mimicking a flatline, noise and all. “Leas’ that’s what they tell me. I was busy being dead-not-dead to notice.”

“I didn’t know Gerard had taken you.” Chris lowered his head.

“You knew he had Erica and Boyd. Or did _you_ take them?”

“I let them _go_.” Chris straightened.

“ _After_ kidnapping and electro-torturing them!”

“I gave up that life _because_ of what happened. With Kate. Gerard. My wife - _Allison_. That world - _their world_ ,” he gestured toward the vampire, “decimated mine. So I’m staying away from it. I suggest you do the same, Stiles.”

“Is that a threat?” Stiles laughed, tipping sideways.

“A friendly warning.” Chris was straight-faced.

“Why? Because I’m human? Because I can’t keep myself safe in a world of werewolves and vampires and kanimas and 90-year-old grandpas?”

Chris stared down at the kid for a long moment, a frown fermenting his face.

“Gerard was a trained hunter since childhood, Stiles. You -”

“I _what_? I _froze_ \- that’s what! Running from giant lizards and guys with bad facial hair and claws, sure. But some old man with arthritic fists and steel-toed boots? I just laid there like a dog - no, like a _human_ , and let him almost _kill_ me. And - and what? Just to send a message. Not ‘cause I’m important or anything.”

“Stiles,” Chris moved toward the kid, eyeing their audience. “You need to calm down.”

“No!” Stiles shoved his arms out at the older man, the lights in the bar sparking as Chris stood firm.

The hunter’s eyes narrowed on the teenager as a few bulbs burst. There was another flicker and this time when Chris blinked back at the brightness, Stiles was gone.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't lie - who didn't want to see some Damon & Stiles interaction? Also - what happened with the lights.....


	24. Ancestors and Arson

In the end, they didn’t tell anyone. Damon desired to keep his possible new secret weapon, well, a secret. Jeremy didn’t want to get anyone’s hopes up in case the kid didn’t have what it took. And Lydia, well, Lydia was sworn to secrecy by the would-be witch himself. Stiles still didn’t believe any of it, especially after the first “training session” resulted in nothing more than Damon putting a fist through a wall and Lydia retreating to the library.

Jeremy kept up the pretense of calling Bonnie every night, when the pair instead sat side by side. The ghost would tell Jeremy everything he needed to know for the following day’s lesson with Stiles and Bonnie would just happen to be out of cell range when Damon undoubtedly threw a tantrum and demanded she get on the phone to talk some magic-sense into her so far powerless protege. Caroline grew more and more suspicious of Jeremy’s excuses, but the faked daily emails from Bonnie and helping Derek with his wolves and the search curbed her curiosity.

The wolves and vampires kept up with their routine sweeps and scouts of the city and the preserve, until they were left with expanding the search party to surrounding towns. None of them said it, but they knew it was pointless. If the Alphas were using magic to hide, then they would need magic to find them. It still didn’t stop anyone from trying.

Anyone - except Stiles.

“You don’t believe.”

Stiles was clicking his way through city records when she announced her presence. It was odd how natural of an occurrence this had become for them. Besides Jackson being on lockdown, Allison was now back from France but spending her days helping her father pack up their house. Not to mention how curious Lydia was when it came to Stiles’ potential magical leanings.

Stiles swung around in his chair, ready with a retort when instead his mouth was left hanging open. There, in his bedroom doorway, stood Dr. Deaton. It was odd seeing him outside of the clinic, as if the two were a fixture.

“You brought _him_?” Stiles crumpled so far down in his chair that he was practically melting into the cushion.

“Hello, Stiles,” Deaton sighed his greeting in reply to the one he hadn’t received. “I understand you’re having some difficulty accessing your magic.”

“Of - of _course_ I am,” Stiles sprung back up in his seat, waving his arms in the air. “Because I don’t _have_ any.”

“When you told me that you were able to spread the mountain ash when there wasn’t enough left, I had my suspicions. Yes, mountain ash works on belief and is powerful by itself in the hands of any human, but what you did, was something I had not heard of.”

“So I made some magical ash work? That doesn’t mean I’m Stiles the Teenage Witch.”

“I looked into your family, Stiles.”

The boy’s head snapped toward Lydia.

“What?”

“Internet, city records -”

“Yeah, I did all that too for my genealogy project in junior high.”

“And you got upset because there weren’t any records predating the early 1800s on your mother’s side.”

Stiles squinted, the corners of his lips upticking for a moment. Lydia Martin had noticed him back then?

“I think I found your ancestors, Stiles. Or, more importantly, one particular ancestor.”

“What are you talking about?”

Lydia marched over to the bed, dropping a stack of books onto the mattress and flipping the top one open. Stiles sighed and wheeled himself over, only for Lydia to swat at his pawing hands.

“In 1806, there was a fire that burnt a Polish town almost entirely to the ground. There was this maid, she was known for her connection to the magics, and the people blamed her. In 1807, she was arrested and imprisoned in the dungeons of a castle in the same city she was accused of burning down. She was there for years until she was executed by burning at the stake on a hill outside the town in 1811. Apparently, she was dead before she ever made it there. The executioner strangled her before the fire was even set.”

Stiles squinted at the blurry black and white photo in the corner of the page that absolutely _did not_ look like his Grandma Cecylia or his Great Aunt Gosia.

“And you think she’s related to _me_?”

“Stiles, your ancestral history _begins_ in that city. Your earliest known documented relatives were from there. There is a birth record from when the woman was imprisoned. No father or mother listed. Just the baby, taken in by a church. Then another abandoned baby, no parents, and the woman still in those dungeons.”

“Babies get left on church doorsteps all the time.” Stiles rolled his eyes. “It’s called teen pregnancy, poverty, affairs.”

“There were rumors, Stiles. Rumors that while she was imprisoned, the people keeping her there - did things to her. They, they raped her. The rumors also say that she had two children as a result, but that no one knows what happened to them.”

“This is crazy -”

“There’s more.” Lydia frowned as she reached behind her back and into her purse, pulling out a small memory stick. “Something about this story sounded familiar. And then I remembered that Barbara Zdunk, the same woman from that story, was also mentioned in the bestiary. There was never any proof that she set that fire on her town or why she was targeted as the suspect. Some say it was because she was a 38-year-old woman with a teenage boyfriend.”

“And what does the bestiary say?” Stiles swallowed.

“It says that he wasn’t her teenage boyfriend.” Lydia glanced up at Deaton and then back at her friend. “He was a werewolf. The last of his family, his pack. The war back then was more than politics. What is now known as Poland was once home to several packs of werewolves - and vampires. Prussia just so happened to have a few royal vampires, so when Prussia took control, the vampires wiped out the wolves. All but one. When they found out Barbara, a local and powerful witch, was protecting him, the vampires killed him. In retaliation, she set fire to the town, hoping to kill the vampires while they slept during the day. She went mad. Innocent humans, families, children. The remaining vampires had to work with hunters and the woman’s coven to bring her down and imprison her. But her magic was too strong and they couldn’t hold her forever. The vampires and hunters wanted her dead, but the witches refused to allow it. They had agreed to contain her, not kill her. Werewolves from other packs in other countries heard the story and came to try to free her and get revenge for the boy. But with the vampires and hunters united and the vampires in political power, the witches and wolves didn’t stand a chance. The war between them ended and, to make a statement, they killed Barbara. According to the Argent records, a hunter strangled her when she started to incant a spell.”

“Hold on,” Stiles shook his head. “If she was just a witch, even a powerful one, _and_ she’s dead, why is she in the bestiary? Isn’t that for, you know, _beasts_?”

“I said she was mentioned. It’s not like there’s a whole section on her or anything. The bestiary documents some of the major feuds between different creatures. It’s an encyclopedia for a reason. With all the talk of Barbara’s relationship with the teenage werewolf, hunters worried they might have some future witchy-wolf hybrid children to face. But, like I said, the rumors were just rumors.”

“So, congratulations, there isn’t any pedophilia in my alleged ancestry, but apparently there is _mass murder_?”

“She was long rumored to be the last witch to be burned at the stake in Europe,” Deaton finished. “And the timeline fits a little too well with what Lydia found of your ancestral records.”

“Wait,” Stiles eyed the pair back and forth, putting something together. “You told him?”

“Didn’t have to,” Lydia shrugged before setting herself down on the end of his bed. “I wanted answers for you. According to what you’ve told me about this last year, Dr. Deaton is the one who usually has them. I asked a few totally hypothetical questions, entirely unrelated to you.”

“And?”

“He figured it out.”

 

* * *

 

It was Tyler who figured it out. After the second full moon passed and neither had felt a thing. He didn’t know if it was magic of the walls or both but something was keeping the girl from turning. Maybe it was the vampire in him that put it together. Those memories of days on the run from Klaus without a drop of blood and then suddenly finding himself out of the woods. Stumbling into a city, surrounded by bulging veins and pounding hearts, barely keeping control as he ran to the nearest hospital and choked down a handful of blood bags.

Or maybe it was the human somewhere left inside. The angry teenager with an unstable temper. Knowing what happened when he shoved it all down, only to watch it explode all over the people he cared about.

“They’re taking away your tolerance.”

Erica blinked over at him a few times before pulling herself off the floor.

“What?”

“The full moon. The Alphas have done something. They’re stopping you from feeling the effects of the full moon so they can take away whatever tolerance or control you might’ve had. They think they’re doing it to both of us. Or they want you to kill me.”

“What are you talking about?”

“When I got the message from Caroline, I put out the word on the Alpha pack. A couple hybrids had heard of Deucalion. Of what he did to packs.”

“Derek told us. He kills them. Takes the Alphas. Or kills them too if they fight.”

“It’s not that simple. Deucalion and the other Alphas don’t kill the members of a pack. They make the pack’s Alpha do it. _They_ kill their own pack.”

“What? Like some twisted gang initiation?”

“Something like that.”

“So why all this? Why keep us if they want Derek to kill us?”

“To make it easier. Think about it. They leave you and any other pack member in here long enough, wait for a full moon, and then let you loose on him. Without your tolerance to the moon, you’ll be out of control. He’ll have no choice but to kill you to save himself.”

“But Derek would never do that.”

“Then you’ll kill him and Deucalion will have a new Alpha to go after. Either way, he gets what he wants.”

“So how do we stop it?”

“I have an idea, but you’re not going to like it.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> History Lesson: Barbara Zdunk was a Polish alleged arsonist and witch who lived in the town of Rößel in East Prussia, now Reszel in Poland but, between 1772 and 1945, part of Prussia. She is considered by many to have been the last woman executed for witchcraft in Europe. This is doubtful because witchcraft was not a criminal offense in Prussia at the time. It is thus likely that she was convicted, formally at least and most probably wrongly, of arson. In 1806, a devastating fire ravaged the town of Rößel, which burnt almost entirely to the ground. Zdunk, who was a maid known for her fondness of magic, was blamed. She was arrested in 1807, and imprisoned in Rößel castle. No evidence of substance was available, but she was still accused and found guilty of causing the fire. In 1811, Zdunk was executed by burning at the stake on a hill outside Rößel, though she was apparently strangled to death by the executioner before the fire was set. It is believed today that a group of Polish soldiers were the actual arsonists. There is uncertainty as to the true reason for Zdunk's conviction, which was upheld by several appeal courts, up to the king himself. Revenge on Poland on the part of the Prussian authorities or a concession to an outraged public may have played a role, or that she was a 38-year-old woman who had a teenage boyfriend. (obviously the stuff about werewolf-vampire war was added by me)


	25. Do Something

“You want me to _what_?” Erica was already up and across the room by the time she had finished speaking.

Tyler lowered his head. It wasn’t like he imagined a perfect stranger was going to jump at the suggestion of breaking every bone in her body.

“I can’t _transform_. I can’t even make my claws come out. What makes you think that my healing will even still work?”

“Honestly,” Tyler stood and stepped toward her, “I don’t know. I don’t know if you’ll heal. I don’t know if doing this will make a damn difference when they let you out. I told you, we’re different. But you wanted to know how to stop it and this is the _only_ plan we have. And trying something, doing something, even if it’s crazy and might not even work, is a hell of a lot better than doing nothing.”

Erica paced against the wall for a long while before finally crossing her arms.

“How does this work?

“The sire bond between me and Klaus was there because, on some level, I was grateful, for him releasing me from the pain of having to turn on the full moon. So, I just kept turning until it didn’t hurt.”

“That’s different, this -”

“It is and it isn’t. I went from being controlled by the moon to controlled by Klaus. You’re controlled by the moon. You told me pain keeps you human. But it can also trigger your change. You need to learn how to control the change, and stay human. Pain will do that.”

“I can’t break _every_ bone in my body,” Erica rubbed her arms. “I don’t heal like you. You said it yourself, you’re stronger than me.”

“We’ll start slow, small. One at a time. See if it’s working. I’ll be right here. If you don’t start healing, I can give you my blood and it will heal you.”

Erica took up pacing again until she was growling and sighing all at once.

“Okay, okay, here goes.”

Erica straightened, shaking out her arms at her side and breathing deep. With a last look to Tyler, the werewolf took one arm in her hand and held it in front of her. She stared at it for a long moment, before sinking to the floor next to the hybrid.

“I can’t do it." She shook her head. "You’re going to have to. I just can’t.”

Tyler nodded, lifting himself off the floor and crossing the room. There was some debris from the holes he had tried to punch through the walls. With a sigh, he picked up a piece of the metal and returned to the werewolf, kneeling in front of here.

“Bite down,” he handed over the fragment. “Do _not_ scream.”

Erica only nodded, placing the hunk of stone in her mouth and closing her eyes. Her entire body tensed as she felt the hybrid’s hands on her and she turned her head away, pressing her cheek against the cold wall.

“One, two -”

Erica’s world exploded into fireworks of white heat and dizzying colors. Somewhere in the distance she felt her teeth chipping at the metal gag - and her mind flashed back to that seizure in the classroom and the kid sticking a ruler between her teeth - but it was a shadow of discomfort compared to the agony tidal waving from her limb.

“Breathe.”

Erica didn’t know why, but she obeyed. Her eyes opened and she was staring straight into a pair of brown irises that looked at her in a way that she wasn’t sure she had ever seen before. Maybe Stiles, after he’d helped get her to Derek and stopped the Kanima venom-induced seizure. Maybe Scott, when he told them to be careful with Jackson. Maybe even Derek, after he broke her arm and bled out the venom. Maybe. But something about this felt different.

She was so distracted at the thought that she had forgotten about the pain. Didn’t notice when it faded. When she healed.

“It - it worked!”

Erica blinked and then glanced down at her forearm, twisted it and flexing her fingers.

“I _healed_?” She swallowed, and then snapped her head back up to meet that gaze again. “It worked. I healed. I can do this.” She was nodding and bracing herself again and smiling all at once. “I can do this.”

 

* * *

 

 

“I can’t do this,” Stiles huffed, glaring at the unlit candle across the table.

“And that’s precisely _why_ you can’t,” Deaton folded his arms across his chest.

“What?” Stiles whipped his head toward the vet.

“You think you can’t, so you can’t.”

“We don’t have time for the Little Engine that Could to get another pep talk from Papa Smurf,” Damon grunted.

“Ok, now you’re just getting desperate to beat me at the nickname game,” Stiles grinned.

“Leave us,” Deaton waved a hand.

“I’m not leaving until that candle is lit and a locator spell is done and we’re on our way to save my girlfriend.”

“If you truly want any of that to happen, you’ll leave, _now_.”

“I think you forget who you’re talkin’ to,” Damon leaned in toward the older man.

“And you have no _idea_ who _you’re_ talking to,” Deaton straightened, stare meeting the vampire’s without flinching.

“I’m gonna go get a glass of dear old daddy sheriff’s bottom shelf bourbon. _Fix him_ , or that’s not all I’m gonna be drinking.”

Deaton’s stance nor glare failed to falter as the vampire slipped out of the living room and into the kitchen.

“You know he can still hear us, right?” Stiles rolled his eyes. “And whatever you’re gonna say to me, you’ve said it before. We’ve been at this for weeks. Weeks of history lessons and unlit candles and new threats from a vampire, who, by the way, I’m pretty sure is gonna follow through on some of those threats pretty soon. Let’s just call it, okay, doc? We tried -”

“Did you, Stiles? Did you try?”

Stiles’ brow bent forward, eyes slitting as his head tilted and twitched in two sharp motions.

“Are you kidding? I’ve been here with you, mister cryptic veterinarian - who obviously is more than a veterinarian but will never tell me what - guy and with a vampire, who has painted pretty pictures of how he is going to kill me in more colorful ways than I ever thought possible, every day. I’ve read every book you’ve given me. Learned about my apparent new family history. Went through that witch, Bonnie’s, grimoire, _twice_. I don’t know about you, but to me, that counts as trying.”

“But you don’t believe.”

“Man, what does that even mean? You said that to me a month ago, and then pulled a Deaton and never explained yourself.”

“You remember the mountain ash.”

“The magic ash that I apparently made more magicky, yeah, we’ve covered how that was not normal and somehow proved my witchiness to you.”

“I told you that it worked through the power of belief. You had to _believe_ it was going to work.”

“Look, doc, if you’re about to start singing to the tune of a Disney song about how I need to just believe in my magic -”

“Not in your magic, Stiles,” Deaton frowned, fixing the boy with a look of not frustration, but of something fatherly, “in you.”

“Great,” Stiles craned his neck. “That’s even more Disney.”

“I’m serious, Stiles. _This_ is serious. If you want to save your friends, if you want to save Erica and Boyd, then you’ve got to believe.”

“ _Me_ save Erica and Boyd? Didn’t you hear? That didn’t work out so great last time. I ended up trapped in Argent’s basement and they got front row seats to my humiliation and beat down.”

“That’s what this all comes down to, doesn’t it?" Deaton craned his neck. "That night. What happened to you. What Gerard did to you.”

“That -”

“Oh, you’ve gotta be kidding me!”

Stiles whirled around as the vampire appeared back in the room.

“ _That’s_ what’s causing your magical constipation? ‘Cause you got beat up by Grandpa Hunter.”

“He didn’t -”

“He didn’t _what_? He didn’t just beat you? Of course not. He _humiliated_ you. Said so yourself. Showed you how useless, how _powerless_ , you are. But what did you do after he kicked the crap outta you? You’re still lying on the ground in that basement. Except _he_ isn’t the one keeping you down, _you_ are. You keep whining about _him_ , but he’s not here. _You_ are. You think you’re not strong enough. Too human. Too weak. Too _afraid_. So you lay there, in the dark, on the floor. Letting your friends push you around and tell you it’s too dangerous for you to get involved. Hell, I’ve told Jeremy that a hundred times, and a hundred times he still shows up with some stupid crossbow. We got the whole boring Beacon Hills history from your friends and it sounds like you _used_ to be exactly the same. You want to show your friends, show yourself, that you're strong? Then _do something_. I think you’ve been hiding in that basement long enough, _Stiles_. Time to _get up_.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...So...I'm pretty sure uploading 15+ chapters in less than 24 hours warrants some reviews? ...Yes?


	26. The Advice Column of Alan Deaton

_“I think you’ve been hiding in that basement long enough, Stiles. Time to get up.”_

There was a weight burying itself inside Stiles’ chest as he heaved a breath, staring back at the vampire, and then letting his blown wide eyes shift toward the veterinarian.

“I,” Stiles swallowed, schooling his features and bringing his head down until he was glaring at the candle. “I don’t know _how_.”

“Okay, doc,” Damon leaned back, “Disney this up for the princess. But if you break into song, I’ll break you.”

Deaton shook his head at the younger man and stepped forward to take his place in front of the boy.

“You do what I’ve been telling you all along, Stiles. What, in I think was his own - _unique_ \- way, Mr. Salvatore was telling you to do. _Believe_. Not in magic. Not in some new family history. In _you_. You need to be that spark again, Stiles. You need to believe.”

Stiles swallowed again, and then once more. Sweaty palms wiped against blue jean pockets. A single, frantic heartbeat - steadied. Wet lashes and lids drew downward. There were no threats or jokes from the vampire. No platitudes or placations from the hunter. No words of wisdom from the vet.

The ghost in the corner watched her pupil, gaze unwavering from his shut eyes and still form.

And she knew. Something in the air shifted. If she were still alive, she would have felt the magic thrumming through the very molecules that surrounded them.

She was already smiling when the flame was birthed, and the candle, at last, was lit.

 

* * *

 

She was on fire. Since that first broken bone and twisted muscle, her flesh had flared. Erica didn’t have hybrid healing, so they were stuck taking it slow, breaking one or a few bones at a time, waiting for them to heal, and then moving forward. She was healing, and a few times her eyes had changed and her teeth had barred, but nothing much else was happening. Whatever was keeping the effects of the full moon at bay, was weakening her connection of the wolf. Tyler was just happy it hadn’t cut it off completely.

The hybrid had been able to break almost all of his bones at once, over and over again. At this rate, it was going to take weeks with Erica. They didn’t even know if it was working. They wouldn’t. Until the full moon rose and their captors decided they’d starved the lions long enough. But, like he had said, it was still something. And despite the torture, it made them both feel productive.

 

* * *

 

A whole month and Derek and Stefan were out of ways for making themselves, and their pack and friends, feel productive. The regular town sweeps, hunting down and contacting witches, even simple sparring, all had long since fallen short. The only thing that seemed to be making any progress was Scott’s studies. Caroline had joined the fold with Stefan for the mission. The older vampire gave the young werewolf reading lists, while she gave him pop quizzes on SAT questions, usually while quite literally popping out to startle him and “keep him on his toes”. The rest of Scott’s time was spent at the clinic with Deaton, who had grown even more suspicious in his actions and secrets, if that was possible. Despite the Doc’s reluctance to answer any of his questions, Scott still worked often, and hard. He was saving for some wheels of his own, not wanting to have to rely on Stiles for the rest of his teenage life. Not that he expected his friend would be giving him any rides to school come fall. Neither had spoken to the other since their argument.

“Scott?”

The werewolf blinked, glancing over at his boss.

“Sorry, Doc. Just -”

“Distracted?” Deaton smirked. “Seems to be a common occurrence lately. What was it this time?”

“Nothing, nothing. I’m okay.”

“Oh, really? Looks to me like you’re a young man with the weight of the world on his shoulders. What’s bothering you?”

“Other than the fact that Erica and Boyd are _still_ missing? That the Alpha pack is _still_ out there and we have _no_ clue what they’re planning. That there are vampires living in Beacon Hills, and one of them almost killed a person yesterday because he was drunk or something? That it’s been a month since I spoke to Allison and I try not to think about her, and then I feel guilty for missing her because who knows what’s happening to Boyd and Erica. That the person I’d usually talk to about all of this, my _best friend,_ since forever, and I aren’t speaking right now. All of this bad stuff is happening, and I can’t do _anything_ about it.”

Deaton sighed, stepping around the table and then leaning against it across from the teenager.

“Scott, what do you do every day?”

“I go to work. Study. Help my mom around the house. Check in with Derek and see if I can help.”

“You see Blue here,” Deaton nodded toward the table, petting the black lab. “She got hit by a car today and I helped her. Can I help every animal that gets hit by a car? Or abused by their owner? Or gets sick? No. Is that my fault? No. What I _can_ do, is help Blue get home to her family. And you helped her too. Scott, do you know where Erica and Boyd are being kept?”

“No.”

“Do you have any way of figuring that out?”

“Me? No.”

“Did you bring the vampires into town?”

Scott shook his head.

“Does thinking about Allison hurt your friends?”

Another shake of the head, this time hesitant.

“There’s a lot happening around you that isn’t your fault and that you can’t control. You can’t let that define you. And, Scott, I’m pretty sure there was _something_ in that list that you gave that you can control.”

Scott met the man’s knowing eyes and sighed, bowing his head.

“Stiles.”

“You want to control something? You want to fix something? Mend your relationship with your friend.”

“My friend almost died because he was involved in - in all this. Doc, I _watched_ him die. He was - he was gone. I felt what it was like without him. I can’t do that again. I can’t put him in danger again.”

Deaton’s lips twitched up, and a hand came to rest on the younger man’s shoulder.

“I think you’ll find that Stiles is far more capable than you believe.”


	27. Time is Not on Our Side

It had been 24 hours.

24 hours of snapping a stranger’s bones while she cried and broke her jaw on pieces of metal gags and almost attacked him.

Tyler only knew it had been a full day because they had been given food again. And that only happened once every 24 hours, like clockwork.

Except this time, something was missing. For days, ever since he had been tossed into this prison, his scrap of bread and meat had always come with something else - blood. Of course, it was always laced with vervain or wolfsbane. It kept him sated, but only barely. He hid it from Erica, of course. Now, though, as he stared at her neck from across the room, he feared she was soon to learn just how hungry he could get.

 

* * *

 

Scott yawned as he shut the clinic door behind him. He rubbed tired eyes as he turned around, and then promptly yelped at the figure that appeared in front of him.

“Too slow.”

“Stefan. Thank God. I thought you were Caroline with another _pop_ quiz. She makes my brain hurt.”

“You’re going to get hurt, for real, with reflexes like that,” Stefan frowned. “What have I been telling you?”

“Keep my guard up.” Scott lowered his head. “I know. I’m sorry. I was just -”

“Distracted?” Stefan cocked a single brow.

Scott’s own brows pushed together before smoothing and he sighed.

“You heard.”

“ _Which_ , again, you should’ve heard me listening.” Stefan gestured to his car and Scott followed. “He was right, you know.”

“You’re taking his side?”

“This isn’t about sides,” the vampire slid into the driver’s seat while Scott buckled. “This is about you.”

“Me?”

“You’re distracted. If it’s happening at work, it’ll happen in a fight. Your head won’t be in it and you won’t be ready if and when the Alphas strike again.”

“It’s not just Stiles. Al -”

“Allison, I know. But Deaton was right. You can’t change things with her right now. But you can with Stiles. Why risk more than you have to?”

“Risk? You’re worried _I’m_ going to get hurt. Well I’m _terrified_ that _Stiles_ is gonna get hurt - or worse. It’s happened. I’ve _seen_ it happen. I don’t want him involved.”

“He’s already been involved. Which means he _is_ involved. He could be a target. Used to get to you.”

“I know!” Scott threw his head back against the seat. “Why do you think I pushed him away?”

“Do you think that makes any difference to your enemies? They know you, so they know how much he means to you.”

“What am I supposed to do? Gerard threatened my mom. He hurt Stiles. Am I not supposed to have people that I care about in my life?”

“No, Scott. It’s the people that we care about in our lives that give us the strength to fight those that would threaten or hurt us, or them. They give us a _reason_ to fight. And yes, sometimes we lose them, or we hurt them, and sometimes, sometimes they hurt us, but that doesn’t mean we cut everyone out. Trust me. I’ve tried that. All that road leads to is loneliness and pain. You deserve better. Your _friend_ deserves better.”

Scott stared across at the vampire in silence as they sped down the street.

“Summer,” he sighed. “Just like Allison. I’ll wait till the end of summer, till school starts. Give us more time to figure out the Alpha’s plan and find Boyd and Erica. But even if we haven’t, I’ll - I’ll talk to him. Apologize.”

“Good. But don’t wait too long. You never know how much time you have with someone.”

 

* * *

 

“Fourteen hours.”

Tyler blinked awake, and immediately flinched backward at the face level, and scarily close, to his own.

“You’re really pale, and not in an ‘undead creature’ sort of way. And you just slept for fourteen hours straight. Can hybrids even get sick?”

Tyler swallowed, wincing at the course curve of his throat.

“What? No comeback? You really must be sick.”

She moved to place her palm on his forehead and his hand caught hers.

“I’m just trying to help.”

“You can help by going away.” Tyler squinted.

“Yes, because there are so many places to go in our one room suite,” she waved her hand at the walls, as if he hadn’t been staring at them for weeks.

“I’m serious.” Tyler pushed her arm away. “Go to the other side of the vault. _Now_.”

“What is your problem?”

“I’ve been trying to hide it from you. Keep it under control.”

“Whoa.” Erica leaned back. “Are you going to shift? I thought you said you -”

“I said I’m a hybrid now. Part werewolf. Part _vampire_. Vampires need to _feed_.”

There was a silence in the room as the weight of that knowledge, and the realization behind it, dropped.

“Oh, _oh_. I don’t understand. They give us food. Why wouldn’t they give you blood? What’s the point of keeping you here if they’re just going to let you die?”

“I honestly have no idea what they want with me. But I won’t die. I’ll just get weaker and weaker until I dessicate.”

“That doesn’t sound good either.”

“It’s like being mummified.”

“Yeah. Definitely not good. What can I do?”

Tyler looked at her with a crinkly sort of grin. Not long ago, the girl wouldn’t even tell him her name and treated every conversation they had like having a root canal. All he needed to do to earn the werewolf’s favor apparently was break her bones a few hundred times.

“Stupid question.” She shook her head and shoved her arm in his face. “Here.”

“What?” Tyler blinked. “No. I’ve only ever used blood bags. And those few times I had to resort to the Stefan-squirrel-diet when I was on the run. I’ve never drank from the vein and I’m _starving_. I don’t know if I’ll be able to stop.”

“Well, then you should have said something before you were _starving_.” Erica smirked.

“This is serious.” Tyler pushed himself up against the wall and away from her. “I could hurt you. I could kill you.”

“What have you been telling me this whole time? _Control_. To control the beast inside, instead of letting it control you. You broke every single bone in your body, again and again to get free from that sire bond. To get control over the shift. So,” she rolled up her sleeve, turning her pale wrist toward his lips, “ _control_.”

  



	28. The Shortest Chapter to Ever Chapter

Elena flinched at the noise. The door clanged and a bluish light slapped her across the face. It was the first glimpse of anything besides complete darkness she had been granted in days. _They_ only came to soak her ropes in vervain and stick a needle in her neck at night. Every. Night. She knew she should be tensing, readying herself to fight, but she was hardly strong enough to just lift her head and blink back at the stranger silhouetted in the doorway.

“Not a sound,” the intruder ordered and it wasn’t a voice Elena recognized, and she knew all the Alphas’ pretty well, having spent the better part of her captivity listening to them bicker.

“Wh -”

“What did I just say?”

The shadow slipped forward and Elena squinted down at a dark-skinned girl with black hair and a hard face that reminded the vampire of Bonnie when she was angry.

“We don’t have much time. Stay still and stay quiet and we’ll both get out of here alive.”

The stranger didn’t hesitate before pulling something metallic out of her sleeve and sending it soaring toward Elena’s restraints. The ropes ripped and Elena crumpled to the floor, landing heavily on her ankle and elbow.

“You just - _broke_ my ankle,” she swallowed.

“Sprained, probably. And I’m saving your life. Think that trumps a broken bone. Besides, you heal.”

“Not now,” Elena shook her head. “Too weak. Need blood.”

“Vampire, you so much as look at my neck and I will put you down. Let’s get one thing straight. I’m here because I’m being paid to be here. I can make money saving or killing someone else, got it? Suck it up, and be quiet. Now, come on.”

The woman lifted Elena up, dipping an arm under the vampire’s shoulders and dragging her from the room. Before they had even reached the threshold, the weight in her arms doubled as the girl went limp.

“Damn it.”

The woman adjusted her grip on the girl, heaving the vampire up and over her shoulder before bolting. They were outside, down the block, and around the corner when Elena finally breached the surface again. She was mumbling Tyler’s name as the woman pulled her on the bike behind her. Elena’s arms were brought around the stranger’s waist and she hoped it would be enough to keep the fading vampire from falling. It was nearly ten minutes later when Elena’s head flopped against the woman’s shoulder and she shuddered, nearly falling as Elena realized they were moving, and fast.

“Quiet,” her unnamed rescuer ordered. “Stay with me. We’re almost there.”

“My neck,” Elena reached around, rubbing the scars, now feeling the pain as she wasn’t distracted with the other agonies of vervain against her wrists and oxygen escaping her lungs.

“From their claws,” was the answer she received. “It’s how they share memories.”

“But I don’t remember anything.”

“Also how they steal them. Listen to me, no matter what happens, you hold on, okay?"

Of course, that was a lot easier said than done with vervain pumping through her veins, not to mention the exhaustion and blood loss and desiccation. Oh, and the mutating Alpha twins chasing them.

So it wasn’t really a surprise when she woke up on a gurney as she was being wheeled through hospital doors, blurry memories of her mystery savior and electricity and a giant Alpha splitting into two.

“Hey, wait. Wait a minute. I know this one.”

Elena closed her eyes and sighed through her nose in relief at the sound of Meredith’s voice. Soon, the woman’s face was hovering blurrily above her own.

“What happened, Elena?”

Elena glanced around, hearing the second set of wheels behind her.

“I’ll be okay,” she said, with a knowing look. “That woman. The girl, she’s worse. Help her.”

Elena was unconscious again before she could ask someone, anyone, to call Damon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shortest. Chapter. Ever. This one had a scene from the original plot/timeline paired with it, but since that got changed/cut, I didn't feel like respacing/reordering all the following chapters too.


	29. Reunion

It was nice not having to entirely lie about what had happened, Elena mused as she recounted what she, or more accurately, what she _didn’t_ remember, to the deputy. When the questions got a bit too detailed and Elena wasn’t exactly sure what story they were all spinning, she played the pain card and pretended to pass out. Except, once she closed her eyes, she really did. There was a nurse entering her room the next time Elena drifted back. The woman was glancing around and closing the door behind her.

“Who - who are you?” Elena tensed.

“My name is Melissa McCall. I’m Scott’s mom. Meredith sent me in here to check on you.”

Scott. Scott was one of the werewolves, right? Her brain was a bit fuzzy to be sure.

“You’re healing, visibly. You were barely skin and bones when they brought you in. Wow. They can’t see this. Nobody can see this.”

“Okay, can you do something?”

“Me do something? I’m relatively new to _all of this_. And there’s a sheriff’s deputy that’s stationed right outside the door.”

“I could compel them, but, I’m not strong enough. It wouldn’t last.”

“Meredith mentioned something about that. Why I brought more of this.”

Melissa reached under her scrubs shirt and revealed a blood bag. Elena’s eyes reddened, veins pulsing under skin, and she had to resist reaching out and yanking it from the woman’s grasp.

“Whoa.”

“It’s okay,” Elena squeezed her eyelids closed. “I won’t hurt you. I just - I need it.”

Melissa handed it over and watched in shock, but mostly horror, as the young girl downed the entire bag.

"Uh - Meredith - said she gave you some when you first came in. Not a lot, just what she could get to you. You were pretty out of it, though."

“Thank you,” Elena sighed, sinking into her pillow. “It’ll keep me from losing control. Hospitals plus a blood-starved vampire don’t exactly mix well. But it won’t make me strong enough to compel anyone.” She set the crumpled blood bag aside and glanced around. “Damon. Did you call Damon?”

“Meredith already did.”

There was a tense conversation floating in from the hall and neither needed vampire hearing to guess what it was about.

“The cops are still here,” Elena attempted to sit up.

Melissa put a hand on Elena’s shoulder. “Whoa, hey now. I may not be able to mind control or whatever it is you do, but I’ve got this.” She gave the girl’s hand a squeeze before heading out into the hall.

She could feel Elena’s worried gaze on her back as she slipped out the door, making sure to block the vampire from view. The girl _was_ supposed to be unconscious and confused - and badly injured. Not sitting up, wounds healed, and someone else’s blood on her lips.

“Hey, hey, Melissa.”

The nurse gave one last glance behind her before shutting the door, knowing that the vampire would most definitely still be listening anyway.

“Hey, Sheriff.”

“C-can you help me out here? Since the amnesiac in 215 can’t tell us anything, I need the girl with the modified military stun gun in 216 to answer a few questions.”

“It’s kind of unlikely, since she’s heavily sedated.”

“Ah, great. Um, well, when she, um - when un-sedates, will you give me a call? ‘Cause she’s got about 10 grand worth of property damage to answer for. And I don’t want her just walking out of here.”

“Hey, you’re the Sheriff, right?”

Elena’s head snapped up from inside her room.

“Name’s Damon. Could I have a word with you, real quick? It’s about the girl and what happened. Please. It’ll only take a second.”

“Uh, sure, son.”

“ _Great_.”

“Deputy?”

Another familiar voice, and a flash of blonde hair in the hall through the tiny door window.

“The patient in the room you are guarding is perfectly fine. She was here on observation, but she didn’t have any injuries. You can go now.” There was shuffling feet and moving shadows outside and then the blonde head was back. “Did any other staff help treat her?”

“Another nurse,” Melissa’s voice was helpful, yet hesitant. “But otherwise, just Dr. Fell and myself. There were the paramedics that brought them both in. I don’t think they’ve been called back out yet. Downstairs, 1st floor. Ambulance bay. Nurse Jacob’s should be at the admin desk.”

“I’m on it.”

The door to her room opened and Melissa ducked in.

“You have some - interesting - friends,” Melissa managed a shaky smile.

“I could say the same thing about your son,” Elena tilted her head, a soft, supportive grin playing at her lips.

“I don’t know if I like this whole mind-memory-erasing-stuff they’re doing.”

“It’s for _everyone’s_ protection, I promise.”

“That’s our Elena,” that same voice flittered in from the hall, followed by his familiar form. “Always concerned with everyone’s protection. Even if it gets her kidnapped by crazy Alpha werewolves.”

“Damon,” Elena shook her head, eyes moist, “just shut up and kiss me.”

The corner of Damon’s mouth twitched upward and he crossed the room in two bounding steps, leaning over and pressing his lips against his girlfriend’s forehead, then her mouth. Her arms came up around his shoulders, his snaking their way underneath hers.

“Never again,” he commanded, stroking her hair.

“I think that’s everyone,” Caroline skipped inside, sprinting over to squeeze her friend, knocking Damon out of the way.

“Oh, I was so worried. And so were some of the werewolves,” she winked. “I think saving their lives made you like their vampire Queen, or something. Of course, they like _me_. It’s Damon they _all_ have a problem with. Oh, and Jeremy’s here too. He’s outside with Stefan, keeping watch in case the Alphas try to take you back or something. But, no worries. We compelled everyone that you’re perfectly healthy and we are taking you home. Or, well, to Derek’s loft. Or Lydia’s house. Or the hotel, because Damon refuses to stay at either of their places. The rest of us have been kind of going back and forth. Derek owns the whole building he lives in, so there’s plenty of space. And Lydia has like four guest rooms. Plus, a great selection of clothing and a pool so -”

“Wait,” Elena shook her head and blinked, long since used to her friend’s speedy speech patterns, but slow to absorb all the new information. “You all - you’ve all been _here_ , this whole time?”

“Well, _duh_.” Caroline furrowed her brow. “Where else would we be?”

“Caroline, hasn’t college started? They told me how long I was gone. You worked so hard to get us all that shared dorm and were so excited.”

“Elena Gilbert. Do you really think that I would choose going to _school_ over saving one of my best friends? I’m an immortal teenager. College will always be there. Besides, it's barely started _and_ I can compel all the professors and staff to think we were there the whole time and give us all A’s. Easiest first semester ever. Or, we can be like all the cool kids and just take a year off. People do that, you know. To travel. Meet people. Rela -”

“Caroline Forbes, did you _meet_ someone?” Elena’s eyebrows met the top of her forehead.

“As fascinating as all the girl gossip is,” Damon cut in, “can we take this to a less ‘super easy to snatch back Elena’ location? How about all the way back to Mystic Falls?”

“We can’t leave.” Elena shook her head.

“Elena, I know you want to help the puppies because they’re cute and vulnerable, but -”

“Tyler.”

“What?” Caroline went stiff.

“I - I heard him, Care. Tyler was there. Locked up with one of the werewolves. I - I can’t really - remember. They did something to me,” she rubbed the back of her neck. “Messed with my memories. The one - at Meredith’s apartment - she thought I was Katherine. Maybe they were making sure I wasn’t - her - but they took memories or messed with my head because everything’s all fuzzy and there are pieces missing.”

“What sort of pieces?” Derek rounded the corner, stepping inside and Elena was wondering just how many more visitors and questions she could take before she passed out again.

Elena closed her eyes, reaching back to the burning ropes and mystery woman and cries of werewolves and darkness and pain and then - nothing.

“All of it.”

 


	30. Mother is the Name for God In The Lips and Hearts of Little Children

“I remember the werewolves coming to the apartment. There are moments, feelings, noises. I remember voices. And Tyler. He was screaming. The next thing I know I’m hanging in a dark room, desiccating and so I know time has passed but not how much or where I am. Then I’m on the back of a bike with - the girl.” Elena’s head snapped up, her eyes fixing on the door. “The woman! She rescued me. If anyone knows where Tyler and the others are, she will. And she was hurt. We should make sure she’s okay.”

“And she why a total stranger would want to help _us_ ,” Damon huffed.

“The girl,” Melissa shook her head, “of course, I almost forgot. When she came in - when you both came in - she was barely conscious, but she was asking for the Alpha.” She turned toward Derek.

“And you’re just mentioning this now, _why_?” Damon crossed his arms.

“Maybe I was a little preoccupied,” Melissa waved her hands around her. “You know, helping save your girlfriend. Keeping the other doctors and nurses apart from Meredith away so they don’t start asking questions - like how she is alive and why she came in here looking like a _corpse_. Do you _want_ me to keep going here?”

“Where is she?” Derek asked and when Melissa responded, the werewolf was out the door before she’d finished speaking.

Caroline followed and the two stepped inside an empty room.

“Spread out,” Derek ground his teeth. “Find her.”

And if his voice was a little too rough for her liking, Caroline didn’t mind this time because Tyler was there too now and she was feeling everything the wolf was.

Elena groaned and pushed her face into the pillow. Damon was at the door, slamming it closed as a bleeding patient was wheeled down the hall before anyone else even noticed.

“I need more, Damon.” Elena glanced at the door and then longingly at the emptied blood bag beside her.

“I’m not leaving you alone.” 

“I’ll stay,” Melissa moved forward. “From what I’m told, you’re hearing is just as good as werewolves. If anyone so much as knocks on the door, I’ll scream. Okay?”

Damon gave his girlfriend a weighty look before slipping outside.

“Thank you,” Elena relaxed. “I'm so happy to see him, I am. I can feel how worried he is about me. My head is _pounding_. My whole body hurts. I just need a second to breathe.”

Melissa nodded, watching as the girl sank deeper into her pillows and then flinched when brown eyes snapped open.

“She was getting paid.”

“What’s that?”

“The girl that saved me. She said she was getting paid to do it. Why just me? Why didn’t she save Tyler and the others?”

“I don’t know.”

There was a beat where Elena just looked at the door, seeing a different door and hearing different noises behind it. The words came pouring out and she was suddenly speaking to this stranger before she could stop herself.

“I was there. I was there the whole time. What if Tyler was there all that time too? What if they all were being hurt like I was? And I just _left_. I could’ve helped them. I could’ve - “

“Hey, hey.” Melissa sat down on the edge of the bed. “Survivor’s guilt is not going to help save them now, okay? Look, I don’t know much about what is all going on, but Scott’s told me enough. Sounds like you were taken for a different reason than the werewolves. Scott says that this group, these what do you call them, Alphas, were after Derek’s - _Betas_? - from the start. Even if you got them out, the Alphas might have just taken them back again, and killed you in the process. I saw you when you came in. You were barely alive. There’s nothing you could’ve done for them.”

And when Elena felt Melissa McCall take the young girl’s hand in her own, she couldn’t help but close her eyes, picturing her mother or Jenna standing there. It was something Damon never would have been able to give her. A different kind of comfort. A different kind of love. Elena didn’t know the nurse, but she could feel it pouring out of the woman with every squeeze of her fingers. The love of a mother.

 

* * *

 

His mother was smiling over at him when he got the news. Smiling like she always was from that picture he kept by his computer. Like she was proud of him. Too bad she had nothing to be proud of.

Stiles tossed his cell phone onto his desk, leaning back into his chair. Damon’s vampire girlfriend was back and alive, no thanks to him. The photograph of his mother stared back at him, and he ran shaking hands through his hair. This magic that he now possessed had flowed through her. Had flowed through his entire bloodline, all the way back to some crazy powerful woman who saved werewolves and took part in werewolf and vampire wars. And what had he done? Lit some candles? Made things fly around the room? Sure, he could create a pretty decent barrier or cloaking or protection spell now, whatever they assumed the Alphas were using to hide their captives. But he still couldn’t detect one. What good was accessing these powers if they weren’t even any help?

“She would be proud, you know.”

Stiles nearly fell out of his chair before righting himself and spinning around, clutching at his heart and glaring at his now open door. He wasn’t sure what made him angrier. The fact that the man could always sneak up on him, or that he seemed to be able to read Stiles’ mind half the time.

“Holy - Doc! Warn a guy next time,” Stiles shook his head. “What are you even doing here? This whole going from you barely giving us any answers besides vague cookie fortunes, to now regularly showing up in my bedroom is getting a little creepy.”

“You didn’t show up for our training, or answer your phone.”

“Yeah - _how_ did you get my phone number again?” Stiles stood and crossed the room, realizing he had no reason for doing it before pretending to busy himself with picking up the week’s collection of discarded clothing. “Besides, didn’t you hear? The vampire girl is back, safe and sound. No thanks to me. Shouldn’t you be with everyone else, chasing down new leads or whatever?”

“I have a pretty good feeling I’m right where I need to be.” Deaton stepped inside and closed the door behind him.

“Well, at least we’re back to fortune cookies again.” Stiles threw a few shirts into a hamper before falling back into his chair with a sigh.

“So, why aren’t _you_ with everyone else, chasing down those new leads?”

“First day of school tomorrow. Gotta finish summer reading and all that. Besides, did you suddenly forget that I got kicked out of that band way back in the beginning of summer?”

“Why do I have a feeling that something like that wouldn’t have stopped you before?”

Deaton leaned against the wall, and Stiles turned away, ducking to escape that knowing look.

“I knew her, you know.”

Stiles blinked, glancing over at the man for just a moment.

“Not very well, of course. But enough. Small towns, after all. She brought in a dog once. It was pregnant. She said her _son_ had found it in the -”

“Backyard,” Stiles breathed out.

“Said he begged her, again and again, to keep it. But she was allergic. So, instead, she and that boy came to the clinic every day to check on her until the puppies were born. And then they made certain that the mother and the puppies all were adopted by good families.”

“Why do you suddenly care so much?” The boy finally burst, leaping from his chair. “You’re not my boss. Go give Scott some life coaching, huh? I don’t even really understand _who_ you are or how you fit into _any_ of this. Is it the magic? My power? You want something, like Damon did?”

“All I want,” Deaton said, stepping closer, “is for you to know your own potential.”

“Potential,” Stiles scoffed, staring down at the photograph before sighing, sinking on the edge of his bed. “She had the potential for magic too, right?”

“That is correct. Why do you ask?”

“Do you, do you think it could have helped her? I mean, when she got sick.”

“Perhaps, perhaps not. Sometimes magic and the supernatural don’t hold all of life’s answers. Sometimes life is just life and nothing we do, mystical or otherwise, is going to stop it from happening.”

“But maybe, right?”

“Yes, maybe. But, Stiles, your mother never experienced that spark, that magical awakening, that you did. Generations upon generations of ignorance of their gifts. That sort of subconscious suppression. It’s a miracle you were able to reach down and conjure it at all.”

There was long pause where neither spoke, Deaton watching the boy carefully while Stiles just stared down at his hands.

“So, you think,” the boy breathed in and out, “maybe, it could help, someone else, someone like her? I mean, someone sick - like her?”

Deaton took another measured step forward.

“Like who?”

“Like - like me.”


	31. Sometimes There's Just No Good Chapter Names for These

_“So, you think, maybe, it could help, someone else, someone like her? I mean, someone sick - like her?”_

_Deaton took another measured step forward._

_“Like who?”_

_“Like - like me.”_ That last word was more of a puffed out breath of a whisper than anything, but Deaton heard it nonetheless.

“Stiles,” Deaton paused, staring down at the young man with what he hoped was a well-practiced look of patience, but unable to keep the worry from edging around his eyes. “Is there something -?” He let the question hang there for a moment.

“The bestiary says that that woman, my ancestor, went crazy and burned that entire town. I mean, maybe it was grief or anger or whatever. But, but what if, what if she _actually_ went crazy? I mean, they wouldn’t’ve known what to call it back then. You want to know what they call it now? _Dementia_. My mother - she had it. Frontotemporal degeneration. Maybe that’s what this witch had too? Maybe she passed down more than her magic? My grandfather has Alzheimer's, and so did my great-grandfather. I mean, having Alzheimer’s in your family only slightly increases the chance of people in later generations getting the disease, but a _third_ of all cases of frontotemporal dementia are inherited. Mix that family history together my my current cocktail of raging ADHD and anxiety, and well, you do the math. Or don’t, because, technically and scientifically neither of those things are actually risk factors for dementia, but I’m guessing they’re also not _helpful_.”

“Damon - he - he was right, about me. I was too weak to fight back against Argent. I’m just a human. _All_ I’ve ever had is my brain. Not claws or fangs. Just this,” he tapped the side of his head. “And it could just be taken away from me by some stupid disease. And now, on top of that, I have to worry about what happens with my magic. Not that I can even do much with it anyway. Not like it’s been much help, but, what if, you know? That woman burnt down a town! I could go from _useless_ to _insane menace_.”

“Insane menace, huh?”

Stiles took a breath, glancing over the veterinarian’s shoulder to watch yet another intruder cross his threshold.

“What, is there, like a sign on the front door? ‘Anyone welcome!’”

“Look, doc,” Jeremy patted the man on the shoulder, “I know you probably have something very wise and inspiring you could say to all of - _that_. But I have a better idea.”

“Didn’t your sister just return from being _missing_? Shouldn’t you be with her? Or getting as far away from here as possible?”

“ _She_ is with Damon,” Jeremy let himself in the room and sat on the side of the bed closest to Stiles, “which means, I want to be as far away from _them_ as possible tonight. Besides, we’re not leaving.”

“But -”

“Yes, Damon would love nothing more than to drag Elena back to Mystic Falls, but she isn’t leaving. None of us are. I mean, most of us wanted to stay and help before we found out anyway.”

“Found out what?” Deaton turned to the boy.

“Elena wasn’t the only one of us that the Alphas took.”

 

* * *

 

“She’s definitely gone,” Caroline rounded the far corner of the hospital parking lot, squinting into the distance against the sun. “I think I can maybe track her -”

“I’ve got her scent, but she’s good. She’s hiding it.” Derek took off toward his car.

“And you’re going to - what - stick your head out the window while you drive?”

Derek didn’t respond as he ripped the driver’s side door open and ducked inside, slamming it behind him. He hadn’t even slid the keys into the ignition when Caroline was already in the passenger seat. Neither spoke as the Alpha cranked the key and peeled out onto the road, Derek side-eyeing the vampire as the cracked the window and lifted his nose just the slightest bit.

The pair weaved back and forth down the streets, heading toward Derek’s loft and then the Hale property. If the stranger had been asking for the Alpha, maybe she knew where he lived.

“I’m sorry.”

Derek cranked an eyebrow up in the vampire’s direction without taking his glare off the road ahead of them.

“I know that must’ve sucked. I’m so happy Elena’s okay, but still. We’ll find Erica and Boyd, Derek. We will. After a whole summer of nothing - all of a sudden this happens?”

“Feels like we’re no closer than yesterday.”

“Yes, except _yesterday_ we didn’t have Elena back. Maybe we can get her memories back somehow. _Yesterday_ we didn’t have this new possible ally that saved her -”

“Yesterday we didn’t know your boyfriend was there, too.”

Caroline went stiff, staring out the side window.

“It’s Tyler, right? The one you told me about? The hybrid.” Derek didn’t take his eyes off the road as he spoke.

“Yes.”

“Look, I appreciate you trying to - whatever it is you think you’re doing to make me feel better - but it’s just a way for you not to have to think about him being there, isn’t it? You don’t have to protect me.”

“You think I’m protecting _you_ ?” Caroline whirled around on him. “Ha. Um. No. You're right. I am trying to avoid it all. I’m protecting _me_. From the truck of emotions that just ran me over. All this time, I’m sitting here thinking Tyler abandoned us, abandoned me, that he didn’t care that we were in trouble. And here he was, the whole time, in trouble. How could I have thought that he would do that? I mean, yes, he did _leave_ me before, but he’d never _leave-_ leave me. Not if I needed him.”

“You didn’t know.” Derek sighed, voice and eyes softening.

“But I _should_ have.” Caroline went back to hiding her face from him. “I mean, isn’t that, like a _thing_? People who love each other, they can tell, they can _feel_ , when the other person is in danger or in pain or something? Or they at least _trust_ that the other person wouldn’t completely abandon them -”

“It’s okay to be mad at him.”

Caroline’s head whipped around to face the werewolf.

“What? I’m not - he’s been _kidnapped_ \- why would I -”

“He still left you. Before. Even if he’s been taken now, he still left you before and it hurt and you were upset. I could see it back on the roof of my building when we first talked about him. You were sad. But you were also angry. It’s okay if you’re still mad at him.”

“Ugh,” Caroline threw her head back against the seat. “This is so _typical_ of him! Interrupting me hating him by being in some life or death situation!” Taking a deep breath, Caroline closed her eyes for a moment, before reopening them. “Okay, let’s just focus on the task at hand. Find mystery girl. Save our friends. And _then_ I can go back to hating Tyler.”

  
  



	32. Back to School

Caroline took in a deep breath, ready to say something more about their search, when her phone buzzed in her pocket.

“Lydia, hey, now’s not really a good -” A pause, a gasp. “When? Are you okay?” - “With Allison? _That_ Allison? And Scott was there?” Derek perked, but still tried to be polite and not listen in. “Great, as if we didn’t have _enough_ drama going on without those two. I haven’t even met her and I know this is going to be a problem. Yeah, we’ll be there.”

“ _We?”_

That one was loud enough for the werewolf to hear without any powers.

“Yeah, uh, me and Derek. We’re following a new lead.”

“Uh huh,” the voice smirked over the call. “I’ll be out front.”

Caroline rested the phone against her chin and rolled her eyes.

“Where are we going?” Derek lifted a single brow.

“To pick up Lydia and take her to school. Apparently, her car was totally wrecked last night by some crazed deer. Allison had just gotten back from France, I guess, and they were together. And _Scott_ just _happened_ to be on his bike behind them when it happened. Either your boy is stalking his ex-girlfriend, or fate in this town has just about as much of a sense of humor as it does in ours.”

“We’re a little busy,” Derek huffed. “Can’t Allison give her a ride?”

“According to Lydia, Allison is still trying to convince dear old hunter dad to not jump back on the first plane back to France. Guess she’s been keeping everything that’s been happening here from him. He found out, obviously. Between an Alpha pack and what happened last night, he’s ready to drag her out of here. Not to mention that we _owe_ Lydia for letting me crash at her place this summer.”

“I think Lydia, of all people, can afford to miss one day of school.”

“Hey, hold on. Aren’t _you_ the one that gave that big old speech to Scott and the others about going back? About the importance of keeping up appearances and trying to have a normal life? About not letting the Alphas win by keeping them locked away forever?”

“Lydia isn’t involved -”

“Like _hell_ she isn’t involved. She’s spent the _entire_ summer researching, housing a stranger, and keeping Jackson in line. She single-handedly convinced his father not to take that job in London without any compulsion needed, so that Jackson wouldn’t be alone and vulnerable to the Alphas. _And_ because when, after all of that, she managed not to kill him when he broke up with her, she deserves a medal of self-restraint.”

Derek snorted.

“ _What_?” Caroline squinted at him.

“Nothing,” he shook his head. “Just didn’t realize how close you two had gotten.”

“Her best friend was in France and, and _my_ best friend was being held captive by Alpha werewolves, and my other supposed best friend can’t pick up a phone when the people she cares about are in mortal danger.” She paused, looking down. “It was nice having someone.”

“You had me.”

The weight of the words settled in the car, Caroline swallowing and refusing to meet the man’s gaze, missing the look that crossed the werewolf’s face as he watched her.

“I meant a _girl_ ,” Caroline huffed, sharp smile cutting through the tension. “I mean, no offense, but I don’t think you’d have much fun spending the day shopping.”

“With you and Lydia?” Derek laughed. “I’ll take the Alpha pack over that war zone.”

 

* * *

  

“This town is about to turn into a war zone!”

Allison shoved the rest of her books into her bag.

“I think you’re being a little over dramatic, dad.”

“No, I’m not. You’ve known about werewolves - about all this - for barely a year. This has been my _entire_ life. You’ve never come across wolves like this. You don’t know what this pack is capable of.”

“I know what I’m capable of.” Allison stashed the small knife in her belt.

“Allison -” Chris reached for the weapon.

“It’s for protection, dad. Just in case. I’m not going to go hunt them down. I’m just going to school.”

“That would be a lot more reassuring if you hadn’t nearly been killed in that _school_ last year.”

“Dad -”

“I’m serious, Allison. _This_ is serious.” He paused, catching her eyes in his. “I can’t lose you, too.”

Closing her bag, she shouldered it and stepped toward him, one hand coming up to rest on his arm.

“You won’t.” 

 

* * *

 

Stiles flailed, trying to keep hold of his keyboard, and then his desk, his father continuing to pull across the room.

“School,” the Sheriff unceremoniously deposited his son on the floor, “now.”

“It ran right into their car, dad! Like it was heading for it. Scott said it was scared. Scared of what?”

The Sheriff paused.

“Scott said that? Did you - uh - did you talk to him?”

“What? No.” Stiles scooped up his backpack and slipped it on.

“Then how did you - _Stiles_. You have _got_ to stop listening to the police scanner.”

“Sure thing, pops.” Stiles plopped down onto the bed to tie his shoes.

“Wait, that wouldn’t have told you what Scott said. Scott never even said that to the officers who responded.”

“Called Lydia.”

“You and Lydia have been talking a lot this summer,” his dad cleared his throat. “And seeing each other a lot.”

“Yeah, because my former best friend is a jerk and her ex-boyfriend is a were - also a jerk.’ Stiles huffed. “And Allison was in France. I was all she was left with. It’ll be different, now that school started. She’ll have Allison and I’ll -” Stiles shifted and stopped speaking.

The Sheriff sighed and sat on the bed.

“You know you’re never alone, son.” He placed a hand on Stiles’ knee. “You’ve always got me.”

Stiles looked away. “I know, dad.”

“And you’ve got Scott.”

Stiles shook his head and snorted.

“Look, whatever happened between the two of you - which you still won’t tell me - whatever it was, this won’t be forever. You and Scott have been together, almost attached to each other, since, well, practically your whole lives. A friendship like that, a bond like that, doesn’t just go away after one fight.” Stiles opened his mouth but the Sheriff just continued. “No matter how big it might’ve been. Trust me, everything seems more important, more end-all-be-all when you’re a teenager. But you two are gonna make it through this. I believe it. I know it.” The Sheriff sighed when his son didn’t respond. “Now, come on. You don’t want to be late for the first day. Might miss something exciting.”

“Yeah,” Stiles rolled his eyes, standing. “Wouldn’t want that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gosh, it took the Argents long enough to get back into this story. Where the heck have they been? Oh yeah, in France. We're finally syncing up the actual storyline of season 3 of Teen Wolf with these past couple chapters, obviously with some changes.


	33. Chaos Rising

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like I said, I'm skipping some stuff. Some of the same things happened. The first day of school, Aiden & Ethan enrolling, the birds, etc etc etc. I just figure you don't need to read all of the things you've already seen play out. If you're keeping track, this chapter brings us to episode 2 of season 3, hence the chapter title. Originally, this story was going to play out just over the summer so it wouldn't run into changing things too much canonically for either show. Whoops.

“You know, I’m starting not to like this idea. Sounds kinda dangerous.” Isaac paced along the tall windows of Derek’s loft.

“Dangerous?” Damon eyed him and then the Alpha. “How dangerous? You know what? I _definitely_ don’t like this idea.”

“Damon.” Elena tilted her head to offer a soft, but warning glare.

“She’ll be fine,” Derek sighed.

“Does it have to be him?” Isaac rolled his neck, missing the way Elena smiled.

Damon definitely wasn’t smiling. Some apparently ex-psychotic-murderer-ex-Alpha was on his way to stick his filthy little were-claws into his girlfriend’s neck to help find a bunch of teenagers he didn’t care all too much about. Sure, he didn’t wish Tyler Lockwood dead anymore, but no way was he risking the love of his life to help the kid. Add to that the sweaty way Isaac was hovering and being protective of _his_ girl, well Damon was just mentally telling everyone in the room that they should be thankful there weren’t any detached heads rolling around.

“He knows how to do it. I don’t. Be more dangerous if I tried doing it myself.”

“You know Scott doesn’t trust him, right? You know, personally, I’d… well, I’d trust Scott.”

“I don’t trust _any_ of you,” Damon crossed his arms.

“Do you trust me?” Derek ignored the vampire.

“Yeah.” Isaac paused. “I still don’t like him.” 

“Nobody likes him.”

The door to the loft screeched open and Damon took a single step in front of Elena.

“Boys.” The stranger stood in the threshold for a dramatic moment before practically prancing into the loft. “F.Y.I., yes, coming back from the dead has left my abilities somewhat impaired, but the hearing still works. So I hope you’re comfortable saying, whatever it is that you’re feeling, straight to my face.”

Derek stared straight at his uncle. “We don’t like you.” He emphasized his point by slamming a book closed and Damon couldn’t help but smirk. “Now shut up and help us.”

The vampires eyed the werewolves, wondering if there was going to be a fight, but, to their surprise, the man just shrugged.

“Fair enough.”

They cycled through introductions like reluctant participants in an AA meeting. Peter instructed Elena to sit and she complied, not ignorant of the way her boyfriend was staring down the older werewolf with his usual murder glare. She was shaking as she sat and let out a breath.

“Relax,” Peter moved behind her. “I’ll get more out of you if you’re calm.”

“How do you know how to do this, again?” Damon circled around so that he was practically on top of his girlfriend.

“It’s an ancient ritual used mostly by Alphas, since it’s a skill that requires quite a bit of practice. One slip, and you could paralyze someone.” He stroked the vampire’s neck and she had to lift her hand to stop Damon’s advance. “Or kill them.”

“You - You’ve had a lot of practice, though, right?” Isaac stepped away from the window, joining them.

“Well, I’ve never paralyzed anyone.”

“Wait,” Elena tried to turn her head, “does that mean you -”

She never finished as the claws sunk in and the breath was knocked out of her. Her body seized, hips arching and hands absently flailing for the arm around her shoulders. Damon made to attack the former Alpha as Derek and Isaac tensed, unsure if to help or subdue.

“Wait,” Peter called out. “I see them.”

Elena’s body calmed as Peter’s head fell back, eyes glowing, but somehow clouded over. The air was thick and Damon felt as though they stayed that way, all standing on the edge of some cliff, for an eternity. Mere seconds later, though, and Peter was pulling back, stumbling and gasping. Damon knelt in front of Elena, taking her head in his hands.

“Are you okay?”

She scrunched her forehead and nodded.

“What’d you see?” Derek advanced on his uncle.

Peter panted, steadying himself on a beam. “Um, im - images. Vague shapes.”

“But you saw _something_.”

“She was with them.”

“Erica and Boyd?”

“And Tyler?” Elena looked up.

“I barely saw them. I mean, glimpses.”

“But you did see them,” Derek confirmed.

“And worse.”

“Deucalion.”

“He was talking to them. Something about time running out.”

“What does it mean?” Isaac glanced from Peter to Derek.

“He's gonna kill them.” Derek bit down on his rage.

“No, no, no, no, no, he didn't say that. He did make them a promise that by the full moon that they'd both be dead."

“The _next_ full moon?”

Peter tilted his head with a roll of his eyes. “Tomorrow night.”

 

* * *

 

When Stiles slapped his desk and took the quarter from coach, Scott wanted to laugh at his friend until he remembered that, yeah, they weren’t talking. And he was pretty sure Stiles was just doing this little shot to prove something to Scott. He just wished Stiles knew how much he _didn’t_ need to prove himself to Scott. How Scott knew his best friend was smarter than any of them, except Lydia, and even then Stiles had her beat when it came to certain topics and figuring things out. How they wouldn’t have survived this long in the supernatural world without him. But how Scott literally couldn’t survive any world if Stiles was killed because he was running around with werewolves and vampires.

Scott’s inner monologuing was cut short as the door opened and the Sheriff called out to his son. Coach kept talking, but Scott’s ears were tuned to the conversation.

“Listen son, this is about that party you were at last night.”

Party? Stiles had gone to a party? Without him?

“Dad, I didn’t drink or -”

“Stiles. This is about Heather.” There was a pause and Scott was busy wondering who she was when he almost missed the Sheriff tell Stiles that the girl was missing. “We know the two of you were together.”

“Yeah, yeah. She - uh - invited me downstairs to help her with - drinks,” Scott heard his friend’s heartbeat skip on the lie and apparently the Sheriff sensed something too. “Okay, so there may have been some kissing. Lots of kissing. I went upstairs to - use the bathroom.”

“And then what?”

“I couldn't find her. I just figured she'd hooked up with her other friends. Has no one really seen her since last night?:

“No. We put out an A.P.B., but, Stiles, all her friends say you were the last person who saw her."

“Me?”

“We hope that it's just a series of bad decisions based on too much to drink. But if you remember anything else, you call me. All right?

“Yeah, yeah. Of course.”

The Sheriff turned and walked away with the deputy, but Stiles never came back into the classroom. Scott listened to the retreating footsteps, resisting the urge to follow his friend.

It was after class, when Scott sniffed out Stiles in the hallway, staring at his phone and slamming his locker. The werewolf’s mouth was already open when his friend turned on him.

“I don’t care, what you say, okay? I’m done with this. Staying out of everything. I’m done with feeling guilty about my own existence. What if you had been there with me last night, huh? If whatever _this_ is,” he waved a hand between their chests, “wasn’t going on and you had been there with me, together, like we always used to be. Maybe we could’ve protected her.”

For the first words they had spoken to each other since the fight, this wasn’t exactly how Scott had wanted it to go down.

“Protected her from what?”

“The Alphas. Who else do we know in town that’s going after teenagers? Maybe whatever it is they’re doing, they need five supernatural creatures. So they took her to replace that vampire chic.”

“You know about all that?”

“Are you kidding? Of _course_ I know! It’s _me_. I’ve been having Lydia and Allison tell me everything. Just in case I needed to swoop in and save your ass. _Again_.”

The hostility in Stiles’ voice should have made him take a step back. Instead, the comment only made Scott want to smile.

“So you think they kidnapped Heather to turn her?”

“Derek says it’s easier to turn teenagers,” he waved his phone and Scott couldn’t help the pang of hurt that Stiles had turned to the Alpha before his best friend.

“But what would a pack of Alphas need with a Beta?”

“Scott, I don't know. I don't care. All right? This girl... Our moms were best friends before mine died, all right? We used to take frickin' bubble baths together when we were three. I gotta find her.

“Then we need Elena to remember.”

“How? According to Derek, one of the other vampires _entering her mind_ didn’t work. And Peter couldn’t do it. You know any other werewolves with a better trick?

“Maybe not a werewolf. But someone who knows a lot about 'em.”

  



	34. Going Under

“Obviously, it's not going to be particularly...comfortable. But if we can slow your heart rate down enough, you'll slip into a trance-like state.”  

“Like being hypnotized.” Jeremy crossed his arms, leaning against the counter and studying the veterinarian.

“Exactly. You'll be half transformed. It'll let us access your subconscious mind.”

“How slow does her heart rate need to be?” Scott glanced up at his boss.

“Very slow.”

“Okay, well, how slow is very slow?” Damon countered.

“Nearly dead. Or, in this case, doubly dead.”

“It's safe, though, right?” Caroline leaned forward.

“Do you want me to answer honestly?”

“Yes,” Damon snapped. “Elena, come on, seriously. How many more of these strangers are we gonna trust? Who exactly is this guy?”

“I’m a veterinarian,” the man grinned in a way that made Elena certain there was some joke they weren’t getting.

“Yeah,” Damon snorted. “You’ve said that already. Whatever you can do, whatever you know already didn’t help our little mutual magical friend, though, did it?”

“What?” Elena glanced between the pair. “Who are you talking about it?”

Stiles tuned out the arguing. It felt - he wasn’t sure how it felt. To be back in it again. Surrounded by the supernatural. Technically, he had never left. He _did_ spend the summer studying magic, after all. Not that it had helped at all, just like Damon said. Could he really make any difference, do any good, being there? He didn’t know. But he owed it to Heather to do this.

Glancing over at Scott, he felt something twist. It wasn’t being around the supernatural that felt different. It was being a foot away from his best friend and feeling like he didn’t even know the person standing there. Speaking of which -

“When did you get a _tattoo_?” Stiles gaped.

Scott looked startled. Since their confrontation in the hall, Stiles hadn’t said two words to the werewolf.

“Uh, yeah, Derek did it. I mean, I asked him to. I kind of needed something permanent. Everything that's happened to us... everything just changes so fast. Everything's so, uh... Ephemeral.”

Stiles snorted. “Studying for the psats?”

“Yeah.”

“Nice.”

For just a second, just a few strands of words passed back and forth, it felt normal. Like how they used to be. Scott’s lips twitched into a smile, but it faded when Stiles turned stiffly away.

“Look, if it feels too risky, you don’t have to do this,” Derek nodded, loud voice bringing the

pair back into the conversation. “We’ll understand.”

Elena’s answer came in the form of a deep breath and a hand on the side of the tub.

“Elena -”

“Damon, stop. Stop trying to protect me at the expense of everyone else around us. I was

taken, but I _survived_. Come on, I’ve almost drowned twice and I’m still here.”

“Technically, you _did_ drown the second time,” Damon lifted a finger.

“You think I really want to be held _underwater_ after that’s how I watched my parents _die_? After that’s how I _died_? But this is our _only_ option and I _need_ to this. For Tyler. For their friends. For me. After everything we’ve been through? I’ll survive this too. But Tyler and the others, might not. And now, what, they might be kidnapping normal human teenagers? We _have_ stop them. And - and I need to know what they did to me.”

There wasn’t room for argument as Elena promptly pulled herself over the side and sank slowly into the water, gasping and shivering.

“Damon,” Deaton prompted.

“What? If Elena wants to do this, _fine_. But I’m not holding my girlfriend _underwater._ ”

There was a long silence. No one dared to volunteer for the task under Damon’s stare.

“Stefan?”

Her voice was soft, shaking against the cold and emotions and - was this really the first time she had spoken to him directly since he left months ago?

The vampire in question didn’t speak, but rolled up his sleeves and took his brother’s place. He ignored the biting words Damon spat at him. He ignored the memories that had come crawling back at the sound of her voice around his name. He ignored the way her skin felt underneath his touch. Ignored how some small part of him wanted to do this, to punish her.

He couldn’t ignore the way the blood rushed into the veins surrounding her eyes, darkening them - or how she bared her fangs and lunged at him - or rather, at the surface.

“Get her back under.” Deaton’s voice was steady against the splashing and Jeremy joined Stefan, pushing at his sister’s legs. “Hold her.”

“Damon, a little help,” Jeremy glared at the vampire.

“Nope. You and Stefan can kill the love of my life all by yourselves. That way I can rip yours and the doc’s hearts out when this fails. No pesky guilt for me.”

“If you really thought she was in danger, you’d be stopping us,” Jeremy spat out the water that had splashed into his mouth. “Vampires can’t drown.”

“Alright, fine.” Damon bent over, gripping his girlfriend’s torso and arms while the others struggled against her shoulders and legs.

After what felt like a lifetime, Elena’s body stilled underneath their hold and she floated upward on her own, face barely breaching the surface.

“Now, remember, only I talk to her. Too many voices will confuse her and draw her out. Elena? Can you hear me?”

“Yes. I can hear you.”

The brothers shared a surprised glance.

“This is Dr. Deaton. I'd like to ask you a few questions. Is that alright?”

“Yes.”

“I want to ask you about the day you were taken with Boyd. I want you to remember it for me in as vivid detail as possible, like you’re actually there again. Can you tell me what you see? Is there some kind of building? A house?”

“It’s not… it’s not a house. It’s stone. I think marble, maybe.”

“That’s perfect. Can you give me any other descriptions?

“It’s dusty. Empty. Like an abandoned building?”

Elena started to stir, swallowing and breath coming in hard.

“Elena? Elena?”

“Someone’s here. They think - he thinks I’m Katherine.”

“Who?”

“Deucalion. He - he _loved_ her. He’s doing something - no - no - he’s hurting me.” Elena began to thrash under the water.

“They’re just memories, Elena. You won’t be hurt by your memories.”

“His hands - his - claws. I can feel them, in my neck. He’s checking - checking if I’m _her_. He’s angry. He’s angry -” she twisted her head away, nearly knocking it against the side of the tub.

“Remember, just memories. Just relax. Relax.” And Deaton sighs when the girl finally stops writhing. “Good. Now tell us what you see. Tell us everything.”

_The storage room swims into focus and Elena feels the claws on her skin but no - no - just memories and she’s supposed to say what she sees, not feels. But what she sees is worse. Her own memories picked apart, the pages of her life torn open until he finds her. Katherine._

_“You must be Elena.” - “How is this possible? How do we look exactly alike?”_

_“Hello, Elena. Did you enjoy your little rendezvous with Stefan this morning?”_

_“Hello, Elena. Come to watch me wither away?”_

_Incision after incision. Page after page. Cutting. Ripping. Finding any shadow of her doppelganger and watching it like some old home movie._

_Every day he did this. Until she stopped screaming. Stopped struggling. Stopped understanding._

_Remembering._

_Every day she woke up like it was the first day in captivity. Every day she struggled against the vervain in her veins and her restraints. Called out for help. Listened for anyone. Anything beyond the darkness and confusion._

_“But I can’t control it. Neither of us will.”_

“I hear one of them. He’s talking about the full moon, about being out of control when the moon rises.”

“Is he talking to Erica?”

“I think so, I can’t.. I can’t see her, I ca… I can’t see either of them.”

“Can you hear anything else?”

“They’re worried. They’re worried what they’ll do during the full moon. They’re...Worried that they’re gonna hurt each other.”

“If they’re locked in together on the full moon, they’re gonna tear each other apart,” Derek clenched his jaw.

“Elena, we need to find them right now. Can you see them?”

“No.”

“Do you know what kind of room it is? Is there any kind of marker? A number on a door? A sign?”

“He’s back. He… He…”

“It’s alright, Elena.”

“No. He’s here. I don’t want to see again! I don’t want to forget!”

“Just tell us -”

“It hurts, it hurts. It always hurts.”

“This isn’t working,” Damon leaned forward. “Elena, wake up!”

“No,” Derek advanced on the vampire. “She’s right there. Elena, where are you?”

“I can’t see. It’s too dark.”

“Just tell us where you are.” Derek growled.

“You’re confusing her,” Deaton glared at both boys.

“I can’t see! I can’t breathe! Something - I - can’t - breathe -”

“Wake up, Elena!” Damon grabbed the girl’s arm.

“Where are you?” Derek repeated.

“Her heart rate.” Deaton pushed back against Derek. “She could go into shock.”

“She can’t die, remember.” Derek shot back.

“Derek, stop.” Scott stepped forward.

“Elena, where are you? What did you see?!”

_Elena came around, flopping limply against the larger Alpha’s back. They were in a cramped storage room and she could smell vervain somewhere nearby. Her neck was still screaming from when he had snapped it at the apartment but she paid her pain no mind, using her speed to leap away from her attacker and make a pass for the nearest exit. She didn’t notice the Alpha standing on the other side of the doorway, or the needle in his hand. Her body slumped to the cold concrete, head lolling to one side. Eyes rolling into the back of her head, she watched as the boy she had just met was carried across the room and tossed into -_

“A vault! It's a bank vault! I saw it! I saw the name. It's, uh... Beacon - Beacon Hills First National Bank.”

She sat up and reached for the edges of the tub, slipping as she went to push herself up. Stefan took her hand and arm to help, Damon coming around the other side with a towel. As Elena steadied herself, Stefan seemed to realize what he was doing and let go like there was fire instead of water on her skin. Deaton wrapped another towel over the one Damon had slung around her shoulders.

“It's, uh... it's an abandoned bank,” she continued, “and they're keeping them locked inside, inside the vault.”

“Why would the Alphas lock them in a vault during the full moon?” Isaac rubbed his arms.

“Maybe that’s why they took Heather.” Stiles shrugged. “They, like, pit Betas against each other during the full moons and see which one survives. It’s like werewolf thunderdome.”

“But Tyler wouldn’t turn,” Caroline glanced at her friends. “He’s a hybrid now. He doesn’t lose control on the full moon.”

“Unless they’ve found a way to make him,” Jeremy handed his sister another towel. “Or are using him for something else.”

“Either way, Erica, Boyd, whoever else is there,” Elena shook her head, “they’re all in danger.”

“Then we get them out tonight.” Derek nodded.

“Be smart about this, Derek.” Deaton sighed. “You can’t just go storming in.”

“If that woman got in, then so can we.”

“Wait,” Elena lifted a hand, squinting. “Tyler.”

“You already told us Tyler was in there,” Caroline shook her head.

“No, I mean, I know, but - he - he wasn’t in the same vault as Boyd. He - there was another vault. And another girl.”

 


	35. The Plan

It took Elena about twenty minutes to convince Damon not to drag her home right after she emerged from her little ice bath. It took another fifteen to get him to agree to attend the pack’s meeting on how to break into the bank. Elena argued that she should be there, considering she was the only one who had actually seen the building and therefore could be of use. Lucky for Damon, and the ears of all the vampires in the vicinity who were well beyond bored of the bickering, Elena didn’t push as hard to participate in the actual rescue mission. She played it off as not being up to full fighting strength, but Damon didn’t miss the fear in her voice.  

Jeremy, on the other hand, was a different story. While Damon asserted that he was a “mere breakable human”, the teen pointed out that he wasn’t at risk of the bite.

“Just a snapped neck or tore out throat,” had been Damon’s response.

It was interesting to witness the evolution that had somehow occurred between Tyler and Jeremy. A few years ago, the pair were tearing each other apart over a girl. Now, they trained - and drank - together in the woods.

“Look, I don’t have many friends left,” Jeremy had countered. “I’m not giving up on the few that I do.”

They had entered the loft still arguing, when Caroline’s squeal brought them all up short as she stopped in her tracks, staring at the man already standing inside.

“ _You?_ ”

“Ha,” Stiles clapped his hands, “so you _do_ get that reaction from everyone.”

“You know him?” Elena questioned at the same time that Derek, far more suspicious, turned to his uncle. “You know her?”

“We flirted,” Peter shrugged, “briefly.”

“ _Met_ ,” Caroline lifted a single finger. “We _met_ briefly. _You_ flirted.”

“Semantics.”

“I wish I could say he’s really just a big teddy bear,” Stiles smirked, “but honestly, he’s probably dreamed about murdering all of us. In _fact_ , he _has_ almost murdered most of us.”

"I disagree," Peter tisked and jabbed a finger at him, "threatened you, but then offered to turn you, so is that really so bad?" He ticked off more fingers, not noticing the way Derek eyed the human. "Sweet, sweet Lydia. Bit her. Oh,  _Kate_. Definitely killed her. But that was after she burned almost our entire family to the ground, so really -"

"How is this helping?" Stiles threw up his arms.

“You said you weren’t in Derek’s pack?” Caroline planted her hands on her hips. “What are you doing here?”

“I _also_ said that I was helping.”

“Caroline,” Derek ground his teeth, “meet my uncle.”

“ _You’re_ his uncle? The crazy-murderer-formerly-dead one?”

“Don’t you mean _formerly_ -crazy-murderer-dead one?”

“No, no, she’s right,” Stiles wiggled a pencil that he had just pulled from his bag. “You’re still totally crazy and still _probably_ murderous.”

"I just  _wonder_ who I'll go after first," he squinted at the human.

“Let’s just get to work,” Derek rubbed the bridge of his nose.

“Okay,” Stiles spread the blueprints out across the table. “You see this? This is how they got in. It’s a rooftop air conditioning vent. Leads down inside into the walls of the vaults, which is here and here. Okay? One of the robbers was lowered into each shaft. Now, those spaces are so small, it took them about 12 hours to drill into those first walls, which are stone, by the way. Then throughout the rest of the night, they siphoned the cash up to the guys back on the roof through those little shafts in the wall. Boom.”

“Can we fit in there?”

“Yes, we can, but very, very barely. And they also patched the walls, _obviously_ , so we're gonna need a drill of some kind. I'm thinking maybe a diamond bit -”

“Look, forget the drill.” Derek shook his head.

“Sorry?” Stiles sputtered.

“If I go in first, how much space do I have?”

“What do you - what do you think you’re gonna do, Derek? You gonna punch through the wall?”

“Yes, Stiles, I'm gonna punch through the wall.”

Damon ignored their banter, glaring out the window. He only came back to the conversation when he noticed the werewolf landing a punch against the kid’s hand and chuckled. Damon imagined Stiles would not have lasted long against his own temper in Mystic Falls.

“Who’s following me down?”

“Don’t look at me.” Peter lifted his hands. “I’m not up to fighting speed yet, and honestly, you're not looking at very good odds for yourself.”

“I’d say we’ve got pretty good odds with vampires on our side.” Derek tilted his head.

“That didn’t help you before.” Peter crossed his arms.

“So I'm supposed to just let them die?

“One of them is already dead.”

“What are you talking about?” Derek stiffened.

“Elena heard Boyd and _a girl_.”

“So? She had just met Erica.”

“So? Factor in the oh-so-timely kidnapping of Stiles’ little playmate and I’m guessing the birthday girl was a replacement for Erica. Or whoever replaced Erica. They’ve had 3 full moons of this, you know. ”

“We don't know that.”

”Do I have to remind you what we're up against here? A pack of alphas. All of them, killers. And if that's not enough to scare your testicles back into your stomach, try to remember that two of them combine bodies to form one giant Alpha. I'm sure Erica and Boyd were sweet kids. They're gonna be missed.”

“Could someone kill him again, please?” Stiles glared at the man.

“Derek, _seriously_? Not worth the risk.”

Damon couldn’t have agreed more.

“Well I’m going,” Caroline lifted a hand after Scott had committed.

“Uh, uh, uh, _no_ ,” Damon wagged his own finger. “We don’t exactly have Klaus’ blood on standby in case - in case _you know what_.”

“I don’t care. If anything happens, which it _won’t_ , he’d still come to save me.”

“Yes. Rely on an evil psychopath for your survival. Genius.”

“Apparently we do it all the time,” Stiles waved a hand toward Peter.

In the end, Derek and Scott were going into the main vault that for certain held Boyd and a girl. Jackson and Isaac would take the second, with Caroline as their wall punching drill and backup. Stefan and Jeremy would flank the perimeter. No one tried to convince Damon to go.

 


	36. Scenes You've Seen Before

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, so these are mostly from the scenes you've seen before, just thrown in to add clarification or with our new characters in the conversation. They could've been cut, but seeing as they're important factors and the season aired so long ago, I thought the refresher might be beneficial. Skimming is totally allowed.

“I can't take waiting around like this, you know? It's nerve-racking. My nerves are racked. They're severely racked. _Ra-cked_.” Stiles shook out his hands.

“I could beat you unconscious and wake you when it's over.”

“Leave him alone,” Elena glared at Peter from her spot on the couch.

“You think Erica's really dead?” Stiles frowned, glancing from the vampire to the werewolf.

“You think I really care?”

“I’m sorry,” Elena sunk into the couch next to Stiles. “I couldn’t tell who it was. But we’ll know soon.”

“Yeah, we’ll know ‘cause we’re stuck here, doing _nothing_ to help, because we can’t. Well, technically, he could,” Stiles jerked a thumb at Damon and then Peter, “him too. And let’s face it, you’re pretty badass yourself, even after nearly re-dying and ice baths and Peter poking around inside you - which is a sentence I will _never_ say again.”

“Can we go back to the beating him unconscious idea?” Damon raised a hand.

“Hey,” Elena smacked Stiles’ leg with the back of her hand. “You got us the blueprints to the building. Figured out how to break in and get our friends out. I’d say you did a lot more than nothing.”

“Could’a done more,” Damon huffed, glaring at the human.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Elena squinted at her boyfriend and then the boy.

“Nothing,” Damon grunted.  

“Yeah,” Stiles sighed, staring down at his hands. “It’s nothing.”

 

* * *

 

“What?” Derek paused outside the bank when he felt Scott hesitate.

“There's just something I can't get out of my head.”

“The moon's rising, Scott. What is it?”

“Risk and reward.”

“Which means what?”

“We're not measuring the risk with enough information. We don't know enough.”

“We know time's running out.”

“Yeah, but think about it. They put the triskele on your door four months ago. What have they been doing all this time? Why wait until now? And why didn’t they ever kill us when they had the chance?”

“We don't have the time to figure out every little detail.”

“Okay, but what if this detail, the reason why they waited...what if it's the most important one?”

“Then we do nothing. And Boyd and Erica are dead. I know what I'm risking. My life for theirs. And I won't blame you if you don't follow me.”

 

* * *

 

Damon watched as Stiles flipped through the pages, skimming the small words. A moment ago, the boy and Peter had been bickering, and Damon had been considering which one he would kill to shut them up first. Now, there was a sharpness to the previously apathetic werewolf’s tone, a worry in his eyes that anyone else might have missed. Anyone else that wasn’t Damon and well versed in hiding any emotion that looked weak - looked human.

“There, that's it.” Stiles jabbed a finger at the paper.

“Hecatolite.” Peter read aloud and groaned.

“Is that awful? That sounds awful.”

“Damon,” Elena sat up straighter, “why does that sound familiar?”

“Moonstone,” Damon mumbled and then cursed. “It’s why none of the locator spells worked.”

“It’s more than that. Get 'em on the phone.” Peter ordered. “Call them. Now!”

“Okay, why?” Stiles fumbled his phone out of his pocket, already dialing.

“'Cause Boyd and that girl aren't gonna kill each other. They're gonna kill Derek and Scott.”

 

* * *

 

Jackson caught Caroline’s arm as he hung up his phone.

“Did you not just hear that? If we go in there, we’ll be trapped and your boyfriend and whoever else is in there will try to rip us apart.”

“Tyler has control. Unlike you, who’s about two seconds away from breaking my arm.” She glanced down at his hand. “And if you do, I’ll break _both_ of yours, by the way. So I suggest letting go.”

There was a tense moment where Jackson didn’t readily obey and Isaac took a step back. Finally, Jackson released the vampire with a roll of his eyes.

“Even if he does have control, Erica doesn’t,” Isaac shook his head, “if it’s even her in there. Whatever other werewolf is inside might not have control either. We should just wait out the full moon and then get them out.”

“You heard what Deucalion said. They’re going to die, _tonight._ If they don’t kill us, or we kill them, or whatever his sick game is, he’ll probably just kill them. That’s how psycho killers work.”

“Right you are.”

The trio spun around as the blind Alpha grabbed the vampire by the throat.

“Smart girl. I can see why Derek likes you. But you’re only right about _his_ wolves. I need your little friend for something - else.” The Alpha smiled almost pleasantly. “Now, _goodbye_.”

Five sharp claws sank into the vampire’s neck while five more buried themselves into her stomach. Caroline felt her body lose gravity, tumbling down the air duct that they had just opened. Her aborted scream echoed against the tight walls as she landed hard and fast in a heap.

 

* * *

 

Stefan stiffened as he turned the corner of the bank.

“What is it?” Jeremy tightened the grip on his crossbow.

“Caroline.”

Before the teenager could speak again, the vampire had disappeared.

“Nice,” Jeremy shook his head and then whirled around as a crash erupted just behind him.

The wolves were young, teenagers like him, and wild. Feral and practically foaming at the mouth. He recognized the boy as Boyd from the missing posters, but the girl was a stranger. Not that it mattered. In their state, they weren’t missing kids, weren’t teenagers. They were monsters.

The former hunter leveled his weapon at the werewolf pair, firing and landing an arrow in the girl’s knee and the boy’s thigh. They stumbled, but didn’t slow. Jeremy ducked as the girl lunged toward him, gripping her ankle and pulling her to the ground. The other werewolf was already disappearing into the woods as she shoved him into the side of the building and ran. Jeremy fired off another arrow, hitting a tree, but startling the girl enough that she moved to dodge and ended up running in a different direction than her counterpart. Jeremy cursed and pushed himself off the wall, sprinting after her.


	37. For You

Erica pressed an ear against the vault door.

“Did you hear that?”

“It sounded like fighting.” Tyler stood. “Not the Alphas this time either.”

“It sounded - like Derek. Derek!” The werewolf slammed a fist against the metal. “Derek, in here!”

A hand came over her mouth and Erica struggled against it. 

“Shh. Don’t you get it? What if we’re not the only ones in here, remember? If your friend is here, or any other werewolf, and they’re feeling the full moon for the first time in three months? They’ll try to tear us, and anyone else, apart.”

“That could be me. What if the Alphas are opening the doors and sicking us on the rest of the pack? Or - or - we don’t know if what we’ve been doing is even going to work.”

A scream interrupted them, followed by a crash on the other side of the far wall.

“Caroline?” Tyler hurried to the wall, knowing that voice and scent anywhere. “Caroline!” He punched the wall. “I’m breaking it down.”

“What?” Erica pulled his arm back. “You can’t.”

“It’s Caroline. Didn’t you hear her? She could be hurt.”

“She’s the one you left, isn’t she?” Erica stilled. “The girl you said you hurt?”

Tyler glanced away from the werewolf, avoiding the way her eyes burned him.

“It doesn’t matter. Any time you’ve tried to bust out, they just fill the room with wolfsbane, or that one super memorable time when they _shot_ you.”

“I think they’re a little busy with whatever the hell is going on.” Tyler lifted an arm.

“Tyler, wait!” Erica reached out and then stopped herself, shaking. “If you break open that wall, you’ll be letting the moonlight in. I - I’ll lose control.”

“No, you won’t.” Tyler turned to her, grabbing her shoulders. “You’ve spent _months_ now breaking your bones, controlling the healing, the shift.”

“I could _barely_ shift.” Erica shook her head. “The room was blocking the real power of the moon.”

“I told you, Erica.” Tyler dropped his hands from her arms to her shaking fists, taking them in his. “The power isn’t in the moon. It’s in _you_. Sure, becoming a werewolf gave you claws and fangs, but it’s all still just another part of who you are now. _You_ have the power. _You_ have the control. Now, use it.”

Without warning, the hybrid turned from her and punched the wall. And then again. He could feel the vervain and wolfsbane burning him up, stealing his strength. Feel the sandpaper in his veins as he ached for blood. He wound his arm back again, but faltered. Catching his breath, he felt a hand on his readied fists. Turning, he watched as Erica closed her eyes, opening them to reveal golden orbs. Her knuckles crashed against the dent Tyler had made and the metal surrendered, a hole collapsing open, and the top half of Caroline’s body visible among the debris. The werewolf and hybrid worked together to drag the limp girl through the opening and into the vault. Tyler knelt down, tucking Caroline’s hair behind her ear as he took in the smear of red painting her skull, neck and shirt.

A pair of screams drew their attention to the hole.

“That - that’s Isaac and Jackson. I have to -” Erica made to stand and then abruptly crumpled to her knees.

“Erica?”

“Stay back!”

Erica’s claws scratched against the concrete floor, her breath beating against her chest as sweat pooled along the back of her neck. A growl grew in the back of her throat and she choked on it. Her head pulled itself up, gold eyes glaring at the prone girl and she watched as Tyler moved between the werewolf and vampire.

“Erica, look at me. At me. Werewolves, at least my kind, we’re sort of hardwired to hate vampires. It’s our instinct to go after them when we shift. You can fight that, too. Just like you’re fighting the full moon. Caroline is a friend.”

 _More than a friend_ , her mind supplied. Because it wasn’t some ancient rivalry brought on by a curse causing her to stare down the vampire like a meal. Her kind was born out of battle with the Argents, not bloodsuckers. It didn’t matter what kind of creature Caroline was. What mattered was the way _he_ looked at her. The way he _smelled_ around her. The way he said her name like some sort of prayer.

“Get out of the way, Tyler.” Erica snarled.

“No,” Tyler planted himself between the two. “Not a chance.”

“I can’t - it’s too strong. It’s too much.”

“No, it’s not.”

“I don’t want to hurt you.” Erica turned her head away.

“Then don’t.” Tyler stepped toward her.

Erica whirled on him then, fingers curling into his collar and sending him soaring into the wall. The werewolf had hardly moved on the vampire when the hybrid was already back in front of her.

“Erica, stop!” He held his hands up.

“You’re going to get yourself killed!” Erica snapped her teeth. “For _her_.”

“Yes, for her,” Tyler shook his head. “Because I love her. But more importantly, for _you_ , Erica. For you.” He moved toward her again, and this time, she didn’t attack. “I won’t let you be a killer. I won’t let you lose control. _Fight_ it. _Control_ it. Don’t let it control you.”

The second seemed to pass like hours, but slowly, Erica began to breathe, began to stop snarling and shifting, until only her eyes remained golden. She stared down at the blonde vampire with those hungry eyes.

“Well,” she looked back up at Tyler, “what are we waiting for? Let’s get out of here so you can apologize to your girlfriend for being such as ass.”


	38. Dealer's Choice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ready for some more after that little break? Sorry to leave you on the cliff like that....we return now to Derek's loft...

Elena stripped the blanket off her legs as Stiles and Peter talked over each other.

“Damon, Caroline -”

“Can take care of herself. Besides, she’s got Thing 1 and Thing 2 to back her up. Or, if she’s smart, to throw at the crazy moon-starved werewolves while she makes a run for it.”

“Damon, I’m serious. We’ve had trouble taking down wolves on a full moon before. This is way worse. And it’s not just Caroline. If they get past her, then they’ll go after Stefan and Jeremy.”

“And anything else that gets in their way,” Peter sauntered toward the door.  

“So, what, _now_ you’re gonna be helpful?” Stiles pocketed his phone.

“Um, _what_ was I just doing?” Peter gestured vaguely. “I tried to warn them. Now I’m going to go find my nephew before he does something stupid to get himself killed.”

“What, like try to protect his pack?” Stiles marched across the room and toward the man. “Something you’d know _nothing_ about.”

“I could still beat you unconscious.”

“You know what, go ahead. I get my ass kicked and then drive my Jeep through a wall to save _all_ of you, nearly _die_ and Scott just tosses me aside with some lame ass excuse that it’s for my own protection. I come here to help, to save the day, _again_ , and Derek punches me. Maybe you’re all the same.”

“And maybe you need to be reminded who you’re talking to.”

“That’s enough,” Elena lifted her hands, oddly feeling like she was right back at home.

“You should be going to _help_ him.” Stiles advanced on the werewolf. “You both should.” He nodded at Damon. “The two of you, all this power, and - and what? Just use it for self-preservation? Helps you run away _faster_? You have no idea how lucky you are that you can actually _do_ something!”

“Stiles, calm down.” Elena moved toward the boy.

“Scott, Derek, Heather - everyone - they could _all_ be in trouble. And I can’t do _anything_!”

A thunderclap punctuated his words, and the lights in the loft flickered. If he hadn’t been so upset, Stiles would have applauded the weather for the perfect dramatic timing.

Before anyone could respond, the boy’s cell phone chimed and he dug in his pocket.

“Scott?”

“Stiles.”

“Lydia, hey, now’s -”

“I need you.”

And those three words defused him entirely.

Stiles left Peter with the vampires after she had explained everything. He wasn’t sure if he liked putting Peter and Damon in the same room together with limited supervision, but he was also not going to leave Lydia alone with a dead body.

“You shouldn’t go out alone,” Elena called after him.

“Pretty sure the Alphas are all a little busy right now,” Stiles shrugged. “Besides, it’s not like I can help. They’ve got werewolves and vampires and even a hunter to help. I’m human. I’m -” _Nothing. Useless. A failure at magic._ “-I gotta go.” He paused at the door. “Have Scott,” he stopped himself. “Nevermind. Just, let me know what happens, as soon as it happens, okay?”

Elena nodded.

“And, uh,” Stiles glanced from Peter to Damon, “don’t let these two kill each other. Or do. Dealer’s choice.


	39. Divide And...

“Derek’s _sister_ ?” Jeremy swore into the phone as he hopped a fallen tree, tracking the werewolf with a crossbow in one hand and cell in the other. “Yeah - yeah. I’ll try not to kill her, but Elena, she’s so far gone she could rip the whole town apart without breaking a sweat - they both could. You sure this plan of theirs to lure them out is gonna work?” He waited a beat to listen, and breathe. “What do you mean a _real_ hunter is helping them? I _am_ a real hunter!” He stayed with the tracks when they diverted suddenly to the side. “Yeah, yeah, I know. Just - thanks for the vote of confidence, sis. Wait.”

Jeremy halted abruptly, staring down at the prints and broken foliage that had been guiding his path.

“Oh, shi -”

Both the phone and crossbow flew from his hands, and the wind from his lungs, as the wolf dropped down from the tree. She wrapped her legs around his torso, arms flailing and claws slashing at his neck and face. The wooden stake that shot out of his wrist holster made her howl as it pierced her shoulder, but didn’t do much else to stay her murderous efforts. Another knife, this one from his waistband, into her thigh, slowed the wolf just enough that he could ram her back against the very tree she had been laying in wait in. She slid off of him but didn’t pause before lunging forward. Grabbing her arm, Jeremy pulled the wolf forward, snaking his leg around hers when she stumbled off-balance, and bringing her down underneath him.

A dozen different kill moves danced at the edges of his mind. Memories of the mark. Of the dead vampires and wolves and hybrids. It would be easy. Too easy. And - according to what he’d just been told ten seconds ago - this was Derek’s sister. Derek’s thought-to-have-been-dead-sister. The only family the Alpha had left was some psychotic uncle. Jeremy knew the loss of family all too well. He couldn’t take her away from Derek.

And then he looked at her. Really looked. Raving, hungry - but afraid. In pain. And there was something else - something -

The wolf stopped struggling for the smallest of seconds, head snapping to the side. It was enough of a surprise to catch the hunter off guard so that when she threw him off of her, he wasn’t ready and went rolling backwards, skull smacking a stump.

He shook off the daze, but she was already long gone. He could vaguely hear his name being called out and hurried to collect his cell and crossbow, calming Elena.

“I swear, I’m fine. Really. Yeah, it must’ve worked. She just took off toward the school. I’ll meet them there.”

 

* * *

 

“You’re actually going to go help?” Elena sat up straighter, a single eyebrow lifted in the werewolf’s direction.

“Correction,” Peter stalked past her without so much as a glance her way, “I’m going to go _attempt_ to talk some sense into my nephew’s thick head. You really think I’d waste getting these hands dirty for Boyd or -”

“Or your _niece_ ?” Elena stood. “Oh, wait, I forgot. They told us. You _killed_ your other one.”

“And I’ll kill this one too,” Peter spun toward her, “because just like I wasn’t myself when I attacked Laura, Cora isn’t herself right now. She’s a rabid beast that needs to be put down.”

“How can you be so heartless?” Elena shook her head.

“And how can you be so naive?” Peter leaned in closer.

“ _You_ are gonna be so _dead_ in about two seconds if you don’t back away from my girlfriend,” Damon stepped forward. “And trust me, I am _dying_ to rip _somebody_ apart.”

“Interesting,” Peter tilted his head. “So quick to judge and lecture _me_ , yet you claim _him_ as your partner. I’ve heard the stories of _Damon_ _Salvatore_. Not the Ripper like his brother, but then again, you loved that monster too.”

“Leave,” Damon moved between them. “ _Now_.”

“Oh, I’m going,” Peter sauntered toward the door, “but when all this is over, you all should stick around. I really want to see how this whole unhealthy little love triangle plays out. And, oh, don’t worry,” he shot Damon a wink, “I’m rooting for _you_.”

 

* * *

 

“You could leave now,” Deucalion rounded on the Betas. “Live out the rest of your very short lives.”

“Why are you doing this?” Isaac backed away.

“Let’s call it tradition,” the Alpha smirked behind his glasses.

“Or how about insanity?” Jackson swallowed, his tone not quite hitting the mark he had intended it to.

“The two of you are not meant to die by my hand,” Deucalion positioned himself in front of the hole he had only moments ago thrown Caroline into. “But I’m afraid there are plenty of ways to bring a disobedient dog down without killing it.”

The Alpha heard the noise just a moment too late. He was quicker, quicker than anyone else would have been, turning in time to meet the attack, but not block it. He felt the force of the hit and the sudden sensation of leaving the ground before he was sent toppling over the side of the building.

“Like that?”

Jackson and Isaac looked from the edge of the roof, to the panting and bleeding blond vampire.  

“Are you okay?” Isaac hurried toward him.

“Not really,” Stefan straightened. “And he’ll be back. Derek and Scott made it out with Boyd and the other one. More like chased them out. They’re not in control and their heading toward town.”

“What, did you have time to take a phone call during this mess?” Jackson scoffed.

“I can hear,” Stefan rolled his eyes. “Just like I can hear Tyler and Erica need our help inside. None of the Alphas went after Derek and the others. They’re all still here. I just had to get through the twins to get up here.”

“You fought the _twins,_ alone?” Isaac gaped.

“The Alphas just let Boyd go, after keeping him for so long?” Jackson shook his head.

“It’s part of the plan,” Isaac swore. “Like Stiles said on the phone - and - and at the animal clinic. He had it right. They wanted Derek trapped with them. Werewolf thunderdome, remember? That’s what it is, but it isn’t meant for them to kill each other. It’s to kill Derek, or the other way around, I - I don’t know. We have to go. We have to help.”

“Derek and Scott can handle two werewolves, and Jeremy’s heading to meet them.” Stefan placed a hand on the Beta’s chest when Isaac started for the edge of the roof. “Erica and Tyler can’t face the entire Alpha pack alone. We get them out and we retreat, got it?” He waited for both boys to nod. “Okay, good. Now, where’s Caroline?”  

 


	40. Plan B

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I need reviews like vampires need blood. Not really. But they'd be pretty nice :)

When Caroline came to, it was to a pair of rough, warm hands against her face, and a fading in and out familiar voice. She probably could have opened her eyes a little faster. But a part of her just wanted to stay there in the darkness with those hands and that voice calling her name.

“Tyler?”

He didn’t answer. He didn’t have to. Of course, he didn’t really have time to, either, because the vampire was lunging up from the floor and flinging her arms around his shoulders. They continued their embrace all the while Tyler helped Caroline to her feet. It was when she was steady that the vampire pulled away from him, and then promptly hit him.

“I am so glad you are alive, but don’t for a _second_ think that you’re off the hook for what you did to me.”

“Look, I’m all for girl power, but can you string him up some other time?”

Caroline’s entire body turned a tight 90 degrees toward the voice, looking the girl up and down.

“And who are you?” Caroline crossed her arms.

“Erica, werewolf,” the girl huffed, “and barely keeping it together under the full moon so don’t push me.”

“Well this is great,” Tyler sighed just in time for the familiar whir of the small air vents to kick to life. “And just gets better.”

“What’s that?” Caroline glanced at the ceiling.

“Wolfsbane,” Tyler grunted. “They use it to knock us out. It hurts me, but they have to give her some sort of antidote, otherwise it’ll kill her.”

“And I don’t think they care about keeping me alive anymore,” Erica backed away from the vents. “I think this is their version of cutting their losses. Kill me and weaken you before storming in, fangs blazing.”

“Get her out,” Tyler pointed to where Caroline had crashed through.  

“No way,” Erica coughed, bringing her arm up to cover her mouth and nose. “I’m not leaving you.”

“Oh,” Tyler cocked his head and grinned, “so _now_ you’re nice to me.”

“ _Caroline_!”

All three turned toward the hole and Caroline rushed toward it, poking her head through.

“Stefan?”

“I’m coming down!”

“No, wait,” Caroline shouted back. “The vampire walked over to the werewolf and whispered. “How high can you jump?”

“What? I don’t know -”

“Well, no time like the present to find out, huh, let’s go.” Caroline grabbed the girl’s arm and pulled her toward the hole.

“Get off of me!” Erica reeled back but her bite was weakened by the bark of a cough that seized her. “I’m not leaving without Tyler.”

“Oh, cut the melo-drama already! Tyler’s coming too, even if I have to drag his hybrid ass out of here myself. The wolfsbane is only going to keep making you weaker and soon you won’t have enough strength to make it out. Not to mention the _pack_ of Alphas that are still all here, probably ready to barge in if this doesn’t work to kill you, if they haven’t already moved to the roof to stop us. Now, you got about 5 seconds before I throw you up and out of here myself. So, _move_!”

Erica spared Tyler one last long look before ducking into the wall. Bending her knees, the werewolf took in a deep breath before pouncing upward. She could see the opening and the sky beyond it getting quickly closer, but not close enough. With a cry, Erica struck out her arms, digging claws into solid stone. She was slipping when the hand met her own and she only glared up for a moment before allowing the blond vampire to pull her the rest of the way up and through the opening.

“You shouldn’t be out here alone,” Stefan smiled as he helped the werewolf to stand, remembering their conversation that day in the woods.

“Still don’t need a vampire babysitter,” Erica quipped, her mouth quirking up just at one corner.  

 

* * *

 

“Okay Tyler, your turn,” Caroline moved toward the hybrid.

“You go first.”

“Now that would completely ruin my plan, wouldn’t it?”

“Your plan?” Tyler shook his head. “You have a plan?”

“We _had_ a plan. Sort of didn’t work too well.”

“Gee, ya think? So what plan is this one?”

“The one I just made up thirty seconds ago.”

“Of course,” Tyler huffed out a low laugh. “Why are you whispering?”

“ _Plan_ ,” Caroline ground her teeth. “Now, get to the roof.”

“Care -”

“I’ll be _fine_ ,” she pushed him toward the hole, “go. And make sure Stefan comes down.”

The hybrid hesitated only for a moment before ducking down into the wall and jumping. He hadn’t been gone long before another body crashed down and emerged from the debris.

“Caroline,” Stefan clocked the empty room. “Tyler says you have a plan.”

“Yupp.” She nodded and held out her hand. “Still got any of Alaric’s wolfsbane grenades left?”

 

* * *

 

 

“I’m tired of waiting!” Ennis paced outside the bank vault, fists clenching and unclenching at his sides.

“We have to wait for the wolfsbane to take them all down,” Kali stepped in front of him.

“ _We_ could take them all down!”

“Yes, we could,” Kali stroked his cheek. “Quickly. But how many would we have to kill?”

“I don’t care.”

“Deucalion does. _Derek_ needs to be the one to kill them. Not us. Ethan and Aiden are taking care of the vampire. Deucalion is going to draw the rest of Derek’s betas into the vault. This is _going_ to work.”

“It better. What’s taking so long?”

“We’ve got a hybrid in there, remember? He’s strong.” Kali pressed an ear against the vault door. “When I hear him go down, _that_ ’s when we go in and take them all. I’ll open it up, and you bring down the vampire bitch before she can run. Remember, he wants her too.”

“With pleasure.”


	41. Turn the Tables

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Obviously, some of these jumps from one group of characters to another, etc are a little back-and-forth timeline wise, but that's just like the episodes. Sorry if it's getting confusing. Was trying to keep it as exciting as possible as I struggle with action sequences. 
> 
> Also - if you're wondering why Stefan can sometimes take these alphas and sometimes is bested by them, Deucalion answers that question for you. In TVD, Stefan and other main vamps have taken on Originals and won, while at other times, they're taken out by average joe werewolves/vamps. It's all about the element of surprise, the attack, etc (and what works best for the plot - haha)
> 
> On that same note - don't ask my why/how there are 2 vaults in an old small town bank. I think we can extend disbelief because I only thought of this flaw now and it's sort of pivotal to my whole story...plus...this is a world with supernatural creatures. We can pretend there are 2 vaults.

When Deucalion found Ethan and Aiden lying in a pool of their shared blood in the alley behind the bank, the same alley he had just been tossed into, he didn’t exactly spare a second to nurse them back to health. Ethan was out but Aiden was stirring when the alpha grabbed his arm and hauled the boy to his feet.

“They’re going into the vault.”

“Good,” Aiden grunted, spitting blood onto the concrete and leaning down to check on his brother.

“The plan is working.”

“Was getting thrown off the roof part of your plan?” Aiden straightened, rubbing his shoulder and wincing. “Or Ethan and I nearly getting killed?”

Aiden didn’t have time to react before he was slammed against the side of the building, head buzzing from the contact with the brick.

“The two of you almost got killed because you underestimated. Got cocky. _Vampires_ are strong. Just because you caught them off guard before, doesn’t mean they aren’t. That is why we be smarter. Now, Derek and Scott are off after Boyd and Cora, and they’ve taken the little human hunters with them. It isn’t exactly what we had planned for them in that vault, but it will do. Especially with the betas out of control and out in the world with all those easy innocent victims to tear through. Derek’s hand will be forced. Either way, we get what we want from him.”

Deucalion finally let Aiden go, pushing him aside.

“But we still need the others, to keep them, alive and waiting for when Derek is ready to come kill them himself. So, you are going to go inside and help Ennis and Kali make _certain_ no one leaves that vault. I’m going to go make sure that they get in it.”

 

* * *

 

“Maybe one of us should circle back to the bank,” Derek looked over his shoulder as they walked toward the school. “No one’s heard anything from any of them.”

“It’s going to take all of us to get Boyd and Cora,” Scott shook his head. “We need to cover all the doors. Boyd was going to rip those kids apart and Cora nearly killed that girl. She would have if Jeremy hadn’t shot her. Now someone's dead. We _have_ to take care of this. All of us.”

“Yeah, us against two betas. While Erica, Isaac, Jackson, they’re all back there, against the _entire_ Alpha pack!”

“I trust Stefan and Caroline -”

“This isn’t about trust, Scott! And, not to mention, that you trust just about everyone, but that’s beside the point. Trusting them isn’t going to magically help them against the alphas.”

“They’re strong. I’ve been training with Stefan. And Caroline’s smart.”

“Erica could be just as out of control as Cora and Boyd!”

“This isn’t helping!” Jeremy stepped between the two. “Derek, I know you’re they’re alpha, so you gotta act like it. Be a leader. You can’t fight a war on two fronts. You can’t help us go after Cora and Boyd if you’re busy thinking about everyone else. It sucks, I know. But you have to think strategy right now, and not emotions. Against Cora and Boyd, you’re our strongest and best bet. And this isn’t just about your pack or any one of us anymore. Innocent people are gonna die if you don’t focus. So, focus.”

 

* * *

 

“What the hell is going on down there?” Stefan knelt down by the hole in the roof. “Isaac! Jackson! Somebody answer me! Caroline!”

“It’s wolfsbane!” Came the response, Caroline shouting back up at him. “They filled the whole room with it and knocked them out! It’s killing them!”

“I’m coming down!”

Stefan gripped the edges of the opening, prepared to drop down when something heavy and growling collided with him. He rolled with the body across the roof until he came to stop underneath it and on his back. The alpha’s fist connected with the vampire’s fast once, twice, three times. There was a solid crack of bone and Stefan spat blood at his attacker as he brought up a knee, jamming it into Deucalion’s groin and then stomach. Bringing an elbow to the werewolf’s face, Stefan slipped out from underneath him and made to grab him. The alpha countered and broke the hold before Stefan could even complete it.

“You think you can beat me?” Deucalion laughed as he straightened. “And on a full moon?”

“Maybe,” Stefan ducked a punch. “Maybe not,” he returned one of his own that missed its target. “But I can distract you.”

 

* * *

 

“Tyler!” Caroline screamed, fingers running frantically through her hair, hands clenching at her head. “Tyler! Wake up! You have to wake up! You have to wake up or they’re going to _kill_ us! Get up, _please!_ ”

With no response, the vampire whirled around, running toward the door. “Let us out! Let us out right now or I _swear_ I will _kill_ all of you! Open this door! Open up! Open it! They’re dying! You’re going to kill them! All of them! Is that part of your plan because I don’t think so! So let us out! Now!”

The vents sputtered until finally dying off. There was a low clang and the door slowly started to swing open. The vampire sped to the back of the vault as Kali, Ennis, and Aiden lunged in. It wasn’t until Ennis had already charged Caroline and been kicked back by her that they noticed it.

The vault was empty.  

“Bye!”

The vampire smiled, pulling the two wolfsbane grenades out from behind her back and tossing them toward the alphas. She was already through the hole and leaping to the roof when they exploded in the werewolves’ faces.

They were still screaming when the door behind them swung closed.

 

* * *

 

“This isn’t going to work,” Jackson huffed, pacing along the wall.

“Shut up,” Tyler hissed, turning away from his place at the open vault door. “Do you want them to hear us?” He glanced outside. “They’re still at the other vault. Signal Stefan.”

The hybrid didn’t wait to watch the werewolf obey, keeping his gaze ready and roaming the halls of the bank. He could see the two alphas, the large man and slender woman, arguing outside the other vault, the one that he had mere minutes ago, escaped from. He waited as one of the twins approached them, listened as Stefan and Caroline started to put on their little show, and watched as Kali flipped a switch before opening the door.

“Now.”

Tyler was at the door to the other vault just as the grenades went off, Jackson hurrying close behind him. They heard the screams as they pushed together, the vault door swinging shut with a satisfying bang. The hybrid went to the same switch he had watched Kali use and flipped it, grinning.

“Time to go.”


	42. The Longest Night

Isaac panted as he tightened his hold on the body currently slung over his shoulder.

“We can’t leave,” a cracking voice coughed from behind his back. “We need to help them.”

“And how exactly are you going to help them right now?” Isaac whispered, peering around the corner of the bank and flinching at the sight of the beaten and bloodied alpha.

Ethan was still crumpled over on the concrete but he was starting to moan and move. Isaac backed up and swore. He had listened for Deucalion and Aiden to leave the alley before approaching. Neither had noticed him around the corner and at the other end of the building as he had scaled down the wall with a half-conscious Erica around his shoulders. Growing up, Isaac had gotten pretty good at keeping quiet. At least he could thank his father for something.

Going back wasn’t exactly an option. It was nothing but wide open road and parking lots. Far too easy to be spotted, even if the only other alpha outside the bank was currently exchanging fists with a vampire on the roof. If Deucalion so much as caught a glimpse of them trying to escape, this whole ridiculous, half-cocked plan would be ruined. The back alley was closest to the woods, and cover. But it was also where a waking alpha was laying.

Securing his grip on his friend, Isaac closed his eyes, took in a breath, and ran. He was almost to Ethan when he leapt up onto the brick wall, pushing off of it and sending a kick straight to the side of the alpha’s skull. The twin went down again and stayed down. Still, Isaac brought his boot to the werewolf’s forehead a few times for good measure, and, if he was being honest with himself, some fun.

“Isaac, we have to go back.”

“ _We_ have to get you to Dr. Deaton,” Isaac hurried toward the tree line, breathing a sigh of relief as they disappeared through it, but not stopping or slowing down. “And then I have to go help Derek. And then we’re all taking a nap, for like a week.”

Erica didn’t protest this time, closing her eyes and focusing on her own breathing as the world spun, upside down, around her.

“Still waiting, by the way,” Isaac grunted after a few more minutes of running.

“For what?” Erica coughed.

“For you to say how good it is to see me.”

Erica laughed against another cough, smiling.

 

* * *

 

Deucalion heard the screams of his pack and twisted his head toward the noise just in time to miss Stefan’s attack. The alpha went down but recovered easily, crouching across the roof from the vampire.

“What did you do?”

“This.”

Stefan reached into his jacket, pulling out another wolfsbane grenade and tossing it toward the man. It exploded inches from the alpha’s face and Deucalion went down with a shriek.

“How’s it going on your end?” Caroline panted, pulling herself out of the hole.

Stefan answered her with an uppercut to Deucalion’s chin.

“What did you want with Elena? With Tyler?” Caroline stalked toward the alpha, leaning over him while Stefan held him upright by the throat.

“You’ll find out,” the alpha croaked against the hold, “soon enough. But for now -”

The syringes were out of his pocket and in their necks before either vampire could react. The grip on his neck loosened as Stefan teetered to one side and Caroline slumped.

“Did you really think that I wasn’t prepared for vampires? Come now.”

Deucalion rose to his feet as the pair finally finished falling, landing in a heap together on the roof.

“You’re both just lucky that you’re wanted alive.”

The alpha straightened his jacket before turning, marching, a faint limp in his gait, away from the two vampires, Stefan’s hand still reaching out to grab him in vain.

 

* * *

 

Isaac’s fist slammed against the door of the veterinary clinic. He had called Scott, who had called Deaton, who was supposed to be there by now. He was about to kick down the door when the man appeared on the other side, twisting the lock. Isaac didn’t wait for him to open it as he pushed himself in through the door and past the doctor.

“She was -”

“Wolfsbane,” Deaton followed him to the back and motioned toward the table. “I know. Scott told me.”

“There was a lot of it,” Isaac shook his head. “She was okay at first, but then she collapsed.”

“She’s been held captive for months,” the doctor started looking the werewolf over, “probably pretty weak. I’m amazed that she’s not losing control after the lack of exposure to the effects of the full moon like Cora and Boyd, even with the wolfsbane.”

“She wasn’t,” Isaac nodded. “She was fine. I didn’t even think about that.”

“It’s probably taking her a great deal of effort to be doing so. All her strength is focused on staying in control instead of healing.”

“How?” Isaac ran a hand through his hair. “How does she have control? Scott said Cora and Boyd are like monsters.”

“I’m not sure,” Deaton grabbed a few supplies out of a cabinet.

“But you can help her, right?” Isaac gripped his friend’s hand.

“Yes,” Deaton looked over, locking eyes with the worried werewolf, “I can. And you need to go help Derek and Scott now.”

“I know, but -”

“I’ll take care of her.”

“What if they come here? The Alphas?”

“They can’t hurt her, not in here.” Deaton put a hand on Isaac’s shoulder. “Now, go.”

With one last look back at Erica, Isaac hurried from the building and toward the school. His eyes couldn’t help but wander toward the dark sky, and the round and bright full moon resting against the clouds. He could feel the pull, warm and wild, and hoped for his sake, and for all his friend’s, that this night would be over soon.

 


	43. Run

The urge to stay and listen to the howls and screams of the Alphas inside the bank vault was tempting. A year ago, the pride in him might have held him there to do just that, and cost them the entire plan.

“Time to go,” he turned to Jackson, slapping the kid on the shoulder as he hurried by.

“Why don’t we just run and get the hell out of here?”  

“Because this whole plan was Caroline’s idea and she’s up on the roof with Deucalion,” Tyler lead the way to the main entrance.

It was going to be nice walking out the front doors of this place finally. Sure, he’d gotten out, crawled up through a hole in a wall, then right back down and in again through another on the other side of the building. The cool night hair hit his face and he almost wanted to smile. It was the same air he had breathed breaching that hole up on the roof, but somehow this felt better.  

“And Stefan,” Jackson rounded on him, doors swinging closed behind them. “They can take care of themselves against one Alpha.”

“That wolfsbane is only going to keep the rest of the Alphas down in that vault for so long. They can crawl out, same way I did. And when they do, we need to be as far away from here as possible. _All_ of us. I’m not leaving until I know Deucalion is down and Caroline is safe.”

“Is that so?”

Jackson was still in front of Tyler when he turned around at the sudden voice. His eyes were still rounding, his mouth gaping, when the attack came. The young werewolf went sideways, flailing through the air and crashing into a crumpled pile of limbs on the ground. Tyler watched it all happen with fear, and then anger. He charged before Deucalion could move toward him, the Alpha blocking the first two punches, but missing the third. Seizing his opening, the hybrid tackled the Alpha to the pavement. The pair rolled and roared as Jackson used the side of the building to climb to his feet. Shaking off the pain and the shock, the werewolf jumped in and joined the fray. It was a mess of claws and teeth and just as Jackson dug his canines into the Alphas carotid, Deucalion flung him, swiping the werewolf’s chest as he fell. Deucalion hit his knees, hand coming up to cover the already healing wound on his neck while Jackson tumbled and landed a few yards away, cursing and groaning, clutching at the angry red lines that slashed through his shirt and skin. Tyler moved to help the teenager up.

“I - don’t need - all of Derek’s pack - alive,” Deucalion growled as he stood, eyes red and features sharpening until he was something - else.

The hybrid stepped in front of the werewolf.

“Go,” Tyler pushed the kid away, “run!”

The pair turned and took off into the tree line, the Alpha not far behind them.

“No matter what happens, you go straight to the doc’s,” Tyler barked between breaths. "They can't get you there."

“That wasn’t part of the plan,” Jackson vaulted a fallen tree.

“Neither was this.”

“Your girlfriend’s plan sucked.”

“Try not insulting my girlfriend when I’m saving your life!” On this last word, the hybrid turned on his heel, crouching low and then leaping to meet Deucalion as he charged after them.

The Alpha jumped, meeting Tyler midair and the two crashed together, landing against a tree that cracked against their weight. It fell and Jackson spun around, diving out of its way. He stood there, stunned as he watched the pair rip each other apart. Deucalion wasn’t fighting to kill, though, just to get by. To tear through Tyler and get to _him_. The Alpha knocked the hybrid back and lunged for the werewolf, claws missing Jackson’s throat by less than an inch when Tyler caught him by the waist, twisting him back around and tossing him into a trunk.

“I said run!” Tyler shouted back at him.

It took Jackson’s brain a second before the teenager swallowed, nodded, and turned tail, sprinting through the woods without looking back.

 

* * *

 

The Alphas weren’t exactly at full strength when they clawed and crawled their way up and out of the bank vault. Then again, neither were the two vampires laid out unconscious, empty needles still sticking out of their necks. On hands and knees and still coughing, Ennis made his slow way over to Caroline’s body.

“They’re needed alive.” Kali cut in, trying to stand.

“How alive?” Ennis loomed over the girl. “Beaten and broken and bleeding but still breathing is alive, isn’t it?

“Where’s Ethan?” Aiden gasped as he emerged from the hole.

“We have more important things to worry about right now,” Kali helped him up and through.

“He’s my brother,” Aiden shook her off of him and slumped over.

“And Deucalion is our Alpha,” she snapped back. “We have our orders. As much I’d _love_ to peel the bitch’s undead flesh from her bones while she screamed, we’re not harming her. Either of them. Get them in the vault and pump them full of more vervain, then seal this hole up.” She rested a foot on Stefan’s chest, turning his head to each side with her toes. “Shame. This one’s pretty. I could have fun with him.”

Ennis growled low, Kali turning to smirk at him.

“What?” She cocked her head and then looked back down at the vampire. “Jealous?”

“I am.”

There was the sound of a heavy thump and Kali swung around as Ennis’ body finished falling, revealing a grinning vampire behind him.

“Oh, and make no mistake, sweetheart,” he stepped over the heap of a werewolf, “ _I’m_ the fun brother.”

 


	44. Pretty Good

“That was a pretty good little speech you gave to Derek back there,” Argent finished his perimeter check of the school and came to stand next to the teenager.

“Thanks,” Jeremy huffed, resting his crossbow against his shoulder.

“I mean it,” the hunter turned to look at the kid. “You seem, good, at this, for being so young.”

“Had to learn fast,” Jeremy shrugged. “Had a good teacher too.”  

“Had?”

“He - died." Jeremy shifted. "Alaric Saltzman. Ric.”

“Huh. Saltzman. Think I heard of him.”

“He was good. Great. And a good man. He didn’t deserve to die.”

“Do any of us?” Chris sighed.

“At least he found peace, I think.” Jeremy stared up at the sky.

“What makes you say that?” Chris pressed when the boy didn't continue.

“I, uh, I can see ghosts.” He chuckled at Chris’ raised brow. “Little side effect of being saved by a witch. I saw Ric, right after it happened. He said he’d always be there. That I wouldn’t be alone.” Jeremy caught Chris’ questioning gaze. “Elena and my - our parents - they died. Car accident. And then our aunt, Jenna, became our guardian and she died. Killed by a vampire. Ric sort of stepped in. Took care of us. Until,” Jeremy cleared his throat. “But I don’t see him anymore. I did, for a bit. Then _I_ died, and he was there, on the Other Side, with me. But after I got brought back from the dead, I could still see ghosts, but I didn’t see him anymore. And haven’t. I mean, I wasn’t back and alive in Mystic Falls long before we came here, but he’s a ghost. All they really have to do to go somewhere is think about a person, and there they are. He could be right here next to me if he wanted to be.”

“Wow,” Chris breathed out after a long moment. “That is a _lot_. I’m still getting my head around some of that. I -” he shook his head. “I’m sorry. You said before, that, he, uh, Ric, found peace, like it’s a good thing. Now you don’t sound like you believe that so much.”

Jeremy snapped his head up toward the man.

“No, I do. Of course. Ric - he deserves that. I just - miss seeing him. It’s not the same, seeing someone’s ghost. Sometimes it hurts even worse,” he glanced beside him at a somber Bonnie, “but it’s also, I don’t know, comforting. Better than nothing, I guess.”

“I am so sorry. You are far too young to have had so much loss.” Chris put a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “This life, that’s what it does. It’s why I left it.”

“You don’t look like you’ve left it.” Jeremy nodded at the bow and sidearm.

“This - this is a one-time thing. I’m not a hunter anymore. My sister, my wife, died because of all of _this_.”

“I’m sorry, too.”

“I know you probably don’t want my advice. You don’t know me. But, get out.”

“Wh - what?” Jeremy squinted at the man.

“Get out of this life, if you can, when you can. Get out as fast you can if you want to stay alive. You seem like a good kid. You deserve more than this.”

Jeremy’s smile didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“Tried that. Left Mystic Falls. The life found me. Besides, my sister’s a vampire now. I think I’m stuck with it. I can’t leave her. I won’t.”

“You’re a good brother, and a good man.” Chris squeezed Jeremy’s shoulder and dropped his hand. “Be smart, and safe.”

“Thought you said I was a good hunter,” Jeremy tried to crack a joke but it didn’t quite fall right.

“Even the best of us get taken down by the job,” Chris stared straight ahead for a silent beat before giving the kid a small shove. “And you’re _pretty_ good. At least, for someone who isn’t an Argent.”

“Oh please,” Jeremy huffed, “I’m a great hunter.”

“Uh huh.”

“I didn’t even tell you about the time that I became a member of The Brotherhood of the Five.”

“The Brother - you - _what_?” Chris turned fully, sputtering and gaping at the kid.

“Created by a powerful, dying witch with the sole purpose of killing the very first immortal, yeah.” Jeremy shrugged and smiled. “So I’d say I’m pretty good.”

 

* * *

 

“You shouldn’t have come,” Stefan groaned as he leaned against his brother.

“I’m touched,” Damon rolled his eyes, “but if I hadn’t, you and blondie would be overdosing on vervain in a teeny tiny cell right about now.”

“Wasn’t talking to you,” Stefan grunted, shifting to glance at Elena, who was walking alongside them, Caroline limp in her arms.

“I’m fine,” she sighed, adjusting her grip on her friend.

“You were still healing,” Stefan shook his head, “and now you got hurt again.”

“It’s just a couple cuts and bruises. They’re already all healed up. Besides, I was more than happy to take out a little revenge rage on those Alphas after what they did to me.”

They both paused as they reached the building, Damon kicking the door with his foot a few times and calling out. A long moment passed before the veterinarian appeared.

“Little help?” Damon huffed, hoisting Stefan against the side of the building.

“Most people say please,” Deaton held the door open for them, “or hello.”

Elena brought Caroline past him and inside, following by Damon dragging Stefan.

“Thank you,” Elena called back to the man, catching his gaze. “Really.”

Deaton nodded.

“Put her on the other table,” he pointed, “Jackson.”

Jackson stepped forward from his spot in the corner and helped Elena lower Caroline onto the table while Damon dropped Stefan into a nearby chair, a drop made smoother by Deaton lowering the vampire the rest of the way.

“What happened to them?” The doctor moved toward Caroline.

“Vervain,” Elena stepped back. “They should be fine in a while. Just out.” She turned around. “How is she?”

“Weak,” Deaton stepped around the table where Erica still laid, “but healing.”

“Speaking of healing, doc,” Jackson rubbed his chest, “why aren’t these?”

“They’re from an Alpha,” the doctor directed him back into a chair. “They’ll take longer. In the meantime, I can bandage them up.”

Elena glanced around the room, noticing the distinct lack of people in the very clinic everyone had agreed to meet at after busting the werewolves out.

“Where is everyone?”

“I’m taking it the _plan_ didn’t go as well, planned,” Damon leaned against a wall.

“The original plan, no,” Jackson shook his head as Deaton began cutting his shirt open. “Then Caroline came up with a horrible backup plan that unsurprisingly blew up in our faces.”

“Save the attitude for your teachers, dog boy,” Damon narrowed his glare on the kid, “and just tell us what happened. _Now_.”


	45. Regroup

Jackson had just finished giving Damon and Elena an overview of the events at the bank when Caroline started to come around. Elena helped her friend sit up and filled her in.

“Wait, you just _left_ him?” The vampire sprang up off the table, marching toward the werewolf. “Tyler saves your life and you just, what, run away and leave him alone to die?”

“He told me to!” Jackson lifted his hands.

“That doesn’t mean you listen!” Caroline whirled around. “We have to go back out there. We have to find him.”

She was storming toward the door, Elena and Stefan both calling after her, when it flew open, bell chiming and everyone inside readying for a fight.

“Whoa, just me,” Meredith rose her arms at Caroline’s advance. “I asked Stiles to fill me in when he came into the hospital. Figured I’d come here in case you needed any help with any wounded.”

“We’re okay for now,” Deaton nodded, “thank you.”

“Yo doc! Open up!”

Deaton dropped his head.

“Perhaps I spoke too soon.”

Meredith turned back around and propped open the door, stepping aside as Scott, Isaac, and Derek poured in, the Alpha carrying Cora while the younger two shared the weight of Boyd.

“Are they -”

“Still alive,” Derek answered before Jackson could finish his question, setting his sister on the table that Caroline had just vacated.

“Jackson, there’s a couch in the back. Take Erica there. She’ll be okay but I need room to work on them.”

Jackson obeyed, wincing as he pulled the bandages on his chest. Stefan moved to help, taking most of the werewolf’s weight and bringing her through a back door.

“Stay here with her,” the vampire ordered.

“You don’t tell me what to do,” Jackson huffed.

“Just do it!” Derek shouted from the other room.

Stefan fixed the kid with a pointed look before returning to the others.

“Wait,” Elena glanced around, “where’s Jeremy?”

“Helping Argent clean up,” Derek replied, “don’t worry. He’s okay.”

“Which is more than can be said for these two,” Deaton looked over his new patients.

“We could use our blood,” Elena offered, “heal them.”

“If we heal them completely before the full moon is over, we’ll be back to where we started.” Derek shook his head. “Just do what you can,” he looked to Deaton, “please.”

“Of course,” the vet nodded, he and Meredith falling into a quick and steady rhythm together as they each tended their own patients, swapping tools and instructions like they’d worked together their whole lives.

“Could heal you,” Stefan gestured toward Derek.

“I’m fine,” the Alpha crossed his arms.

“You do look pretty rough, man,” Isaac shrugged.

“I said I’m fine,” Derek crossed the room. “Was anyone else hurt?”

“Erica got some bad wolfsbane poisoning, but she’ll be okay. Jackson’s chest is scratched up,” Elena sighed. “Stefan and Caroline were but - oh no.” She spun around, head on a swivel. “Where’s Caroline?”

 

* * *

 

“Caroline, wait!”

The vampire slowed but didn’t stop as she marched across the parking lot of the clinic.

“Don’t try to stop me, Elena,” she called out over her shoulder.

“Of course,” Elena appeared at her side. “I wouldn’t do that, Caroline. If it was Damon out there, I’d be doing exactly what you’re doing.”

“Good,” Caroline stared straight ahead, “then you can help.”

“I won’t stop you, but I can try to talk you into staying,” Elena turned to face her friend, walking backward when Caroline continued forward.

“Well, it won’t work.”

“It’s a full moon, Caroline. The werewolves have the advantage. We took that risk when we thought everyone being kept in the vault was going to die tonight.”

“And now, what? Just because it’s Tyler, it’s not worth it.”

“I didn’t say that,” Elena put a hand on her friend’s shoulder, Caroline finally coming to a reluctant stop. “I would never say that, you know that. But it’s really risky, Care. By now, all the Alphas are probably back at full strength and you’re just coming off being doused with vervain. Even if we healed Erica and Derek and Jackson and we all made a plan and went out there, we’re not at our best. Tonight, they nearly beat us all when we _were_ at our best.”

“Not all of us,” Caroline’s voice dropped a few degrees. “I get why you couldn’t come. But Damon was perfectly healthy. He could’ve helped. Maybe if he’d been there -”

“Thinking about that doesn’t help now,” Elena shook his head.

“Why are you always making excuses for him, Elena?” Caroline shouted, throwing her hands in the air.

“No, Care, that’s not what I was -”

“But you do. You _always_ defend him. Like you said, if he was out there right now, you’d go after him. If it was Stefan or Jeremy or me, you’d try to save us, no matter the odds. And we’d all do the same for you. We all _have_ , for each other. But not Damon. The only people he would _ever_ risk _anything_ for are you, Stefan, and _himself_. He’d be perfectly fine letting Tyler, or me, or anyone else, get killed. I’m surprised he’s not rushing out here right now to make sure you get back inside -”

“This isn’t about Damon -”

“No, this is about Tyler. Who is out there, alone. Who I’m _going_ to help.”

“And what if you get bitten?”

“We already talked about that before we went to the vault.” Caroline shook her head. “It was worth the risk then. It is now.”

“Except now, _they_ have the advantage while we have no plan. If you get bit, do you really think Klaus is going to just, what, ignore these werewolves living here? You know he won’t. He can’t. He’ll want them and he’ll take them and that’ll be our fault. Tyler wouldn’t want that.”

“Yeah, well, Tyler wouldn’t want to _die_ , either, so.” The vampire made to move forward.

“Caroline,” Elena reached out, taking her friend’s wrist, “I don’t think they’ll kill him.”

“What?” Caroline took a step back, shaking her head.

“They didn’t kill me when they had me,” Elena continued, “and I wasn’t part of their plans for Derek and his pack. Even if they took Tyler by mistake or by chance, they wouldn’t have kept him alive unless it was for some other reason. Think about it. The Alphas trapped Derek and Scott in with only Cora and Boyd. They could’ve kept Erica in that vault too. I think they kept three to have a backup or something. I mean, they kept the werewolves for _months_. They had to think that one might fight back or escape. But why Tyler?”

“I don’t know. To have a hybrid henchman?”

“Except they didn’t try to break him,” Elena frowned. “I mean, my memories of my time there or hazy, but I don’t remember them doing anything to him. Wouldn’t they have tried to beat him into submission or threaten him or something if that’s what they wanted? They were keeping him, for some reason, but still keeping him. And alive. Maybe Erica was in with him because it was easier to control and contain them all when they were separated, two and two. Or maybe she was there to help keep Tyler compliant. They could’ve pumped that room full of wolfsbane and vervain, sure, but this is Tyler we’re talking about here. He would’ve found a way. He would’ve tried breaking through that wall himself. Or fighting. But, he tries to do either of those things, and they have Erica there to dose with wolfsbane or maybe even kill if he acts out too much. I don’t know. Even when Damon and I got there. They could’ve killed you and Stefan, but they said they _couldn’t_. This is some game or bigger plan, that requires us, or well, some of us, to stay alive. _Including_ Tyler.”

“So,” Elena sighed, grasping both of her friend’s hands in her own. “You can rush out tonight, tired and weak and not knowing where to start looking. I won’t stop you. _Or_ , you can come back inside, and we can all regroup and figure out exactly what these Alphas are up to and make another plan. It’s up to you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know some of you are missing Stiles, but he had a LOT of "screen time" in the beginning of this story. Plus, his scenes right now were all in the episodes. He's off helping Lydia with the dead body, taking her home, and then going to the hospital to figure out the virgin sacrifices...but he'll be back soon


	46. Waiting on Sunrise

When the sun came up that Saturday morning, it rose to greet a clinic full of sleepy werewolves, pacing vampires, and a few slumped over humans.

After meeting Stiles at the hospital, the werewolf had escorted his friend back to the office to relay the possible threat to the others. Upon arriving, though, and seeing their friends’ beaten bodies and broken expressions, they had shared a single glance and knew that the news could wait. Stiles went through to the back, patting Derek on the shoulder as he passed, and spent the remaining hours of the night cross-legged on the floor, head lolled back against the couch Erica was still laid out on. The wolfsbane was out of her system, but resisting the effects of the full moon and months of captivity and pain was apparently keeping her out a little while longer and no one had the heart to do anything about that. After about two hours scrolling through his phone and any research he could pull up on the device about virgin offerings, Stiles finally fell into a restless sleep, mind wandering to Alphas and sacrifices - and Heather.

Scott and Derek exchanged a few words before the younger werewolf retreated to help Deaton clean up. He swore he could help his boss from there and the two urged Dr. Fell to go home to her own bed. This wasn’t her fight. Scott, eventually, even managed to convince the vet to do the same. The mountain ash lined building would keep them safe and they had two humans and vampires to open the door if any wolves needed to leave.

Jackson demanded to leave only once before a sharp growl from Derek put him back in his place in the corner. He called Lydia and spoke in hushed tones with her for a while before settling back against the hard plastic and spending the next couple hours tossing and cursing and turning in the chair.

Isaac didn’t sleep, at first. He spent his time checking on Erica and then Boyd, and then repeating the action. He talked a bit with Scott here and there, tried to pick Derek’s brain about the Alpha’s sister, and then finally curled up in a corner on the floor, leaning up against a wall. He had slept in far more cramped and uncomfortable positions.

Derek didn’t sleep at all. Scott, like Isaac, tried to get the man to talk about Cora, but the Alpha wouldn’t say anything beyond thinking she had been dead since the fire. The rest of the time, he just stared at her. He wavered on more than one occasion and again, Elena offered blood to heal him, and, again, he refused, but not unkindly. It wasn’t out of any prejudice or repulsion. Derek deserved to feel this, all of it.

It wasn’t exactly practical. They couldn’t continue to stay cooped up together forever, like they had done before. And even then, Derek had relented and allowed the betas to attend school, only to keep up appearances and because they would be together there too. But it felt needed that night, after all this time searching for their lost pack members, after everything they had been through that night. Being together, just for those few hours in the silence and shadows, felt right.

The vampires stayed too, not without protest from Damon, of course. He was ready to take off back to Mystic Falls the minute Jeremy walked through the door. But Jeremy wouldn’t leave Tyler. And Elena and Stefan wouldn’t leave Caroline alone. And Caroline, well, Caroline couldn’t really think about leaving or moving or much of anything. She just stood against the wall, her friend holding her hand and resting her head on Caroline’s shoulder. There were a few times throughout those dark early morning hours that her far away gaze would draw itself back and land on Derek. Part of her wanted to talk to him, comfort him. And then the other part of her would feel sick and sad and mad and ashamed at herself because that felt like betraying Tyler somehow, Tyler who was still out there somewhere.

Jeremy took to walking the perimeter every half hour, like clockwork. The others weren’t exactly thrilled about the human being the one venturing outside, but the vampires and werewolves were more likely to hear the Alphas approaching before they got that close to the building anyway.

Erica woke with the sun, and Cora and Boyd followed not long after. There was a moment of tense silence, before confusion clouded Boyd’s brow and Erica was bounding across the room and leaping at him before he could finish sitting up.

Cora rose more slowly, whether it was because of injuries, or because her brother was staring at her like she was a ghost; like he had back in the vault. There weren’t room for words. There weren’t any good words to cover something like this anyway. And neither of them had ever been much for platitudes. Besides, there was time for questions and catching up later. Right now, there was only one thing either of them wanted, needed.

Reaching out, Derek touched his sister’s arm, as if he hadn’t fought her a few hours ago or as if asking permission, it wasn’t quite clear. But when she reached up and gripped his forearm, her eyes never leaving his, he didn’t hesitate. In one step forward, Derek had his baby sister wrapped in his arms, crushed against his chest.

 


	47. When It Rains

The clinic was open on Saturdays and so when Deaton returned, with blood bags courtesy of Dr. Fell for the vampires and a pile of breakfast burgers from the fast food joint down the road for the wolves and humans, he didn’t wait long before checking Boyd and Cora over and then ushering them out. The doctor was a big advocate for not letting the supernatural, or any problems one might face, get in the way of living life.

The humans were sent home to sleep, Stiles eager to see his dad and check in, Jeremy not so eager to be sidelined but sleepy enough not to put up too much of a fight. Scott agreed to touch base with his mom and then return for work. Jackson went straight to Lydia. Erica, Boyd and Cora were given strict orders by the vet to rest; orders that were carried out by Derek when he dragged them all back to his loft, despite some literal kicking and screaming. Cora was ready to get back out there and hunt down the Alphas single handedly, and Erica hadn’t taken the news of Tyler’s disappearance very well. But, eventually, they complied, Isaac and Derek keeping watch over them until Derek finally made Isaac curl up on the couch to catch a few winks too. Boyd and Erica were sharing the Alpha’s bed while Cora claimed one of the new beds that had been brought in months ago when the betas had begun crashing there. Thankfully, Peter wasn’t waiting for them when they returned and didn’t show his face the rest of the day. At least, as far as they knew. None of the wolves - even Derek who eventually crashed on one of the spare cots - noticed when the uncle came slinking in, staring over his newly found niece’s slumbering form.

The vampires, on the other hand, were already starting their search. Using speed and stealth, they revisited the bank, keeping their distance. But unless the Alphas had found a way to mask Tyler’s heartbeat, he wasn’t there. Jackson had given them a rough estimate of where he and the hybrid had been when they separated. More accurately, Caroline had dragged him into the woods without Derek’s approval or knowledge before she would let him go see his girlfriend - or ex-girlfriend. Caroline couldn't keep up with their rollercoaster romance anymore. Between his memory, and tracking Tyler’s scent, they figured it wouldn’t take long.

They were wrong.

Everyone had agreed to meet at the Hale house that evening to debrief and strategize. The Alphas knew that they all had been staying mostly at the loft. So, while the house was more open to threats, it might at least throw them off a little. Not to mention Jeremy showed up there midday with maps of the Preserve and town, thanks to one Stiles Stilinski. Caroline and the others would check in with him, and he kept track, grid by grid, of where they’d searched for the hybrid. Others had filtered in throughout the afternoon. Stiles jumped in to help with the maps and researching any areas that might make a good hiding place or shelter in case Tyler had to hole up somewhere. It got his mind off of all the pages and books that were currently strewn across his bed about sacrificial magic. The others wandered room to room, looking for something to occupy themselves, making small talk and trading stories. Some gave detailed, and exaggerated reports of their fights the previous day. Others filled Erica and Boyd in on what they had missed. Isaac made the mistake of asking what it had been like for them. No one asked again. Allison showed up and there were a few minutes of Erica threatening to kill her and Isaac explaining that the huntress had helped save them.

It was just turning dark when here was a noise on the front porch and Jeremy lifted his crossbow at the figure in the doorway.

“Easy trigger finger,” the stranger stepped over the threshold. “I don’t think you want to go a second round with me.”

“I was holding back,” he lowered his weapon.

“Sure you were,” Cora huffed as she strode past him.

“You gonna point that at every little thing that rustles in the wind, boy scout?” Damon patted the kid on the back.

“Yes,” Jeremy leaned back against the staircase banister, “because meeting here, out in the open, in the middle of the woods, is a dangerous and bad idea. We should be back at the loft, or at the vet’s. Anywhere but here.”

“Once everyone is here, Stiles or Allison will seal the mountain ash barrier,” Derek spoke up from his position at the window, unmoving as he stared at the tree line, and the approaching guests from the road.

“We’ve searched the whole city,” Jackson huffed as he climbed the porch stairs, Scott and Stefan behind him. “ _Twice_. Maybe they took off.”

Because of course Scott couldn’t just sit still after his short shift at the clinic. He had shown up not long after Jeremy and they had split into two groups. Caroline, Elena and Damon tracking Tyler and Stefan, Scott and Jackson looking for the Alphas. Jeremy tracked Team A and Lydia tracked Team B.

“And maybe they’ve just cloaked themselves again like they did at the bank,” Derek countered.

“Well, you're welcome,” Damon offered a small bow.

“For what?” Stiles stepped forward, one eyebrow drawn up.

“Look, no offense to you wolves, but vampires, _us_ , we're a hell of a lot stronger than any of you, including Alphas. I bet this problem pack of Alpha werewolves saw us vampires in a real fight yesterday and tucked their little furry tails between their legs and ran back to their little wolfy den.”

“First off,” Erica lifted a finger, “even if we did owe you vampires a thank you, which, to some of you,” she eyed Caroline, “we do - why would _you_ be the one we’re thanking? You weren’t there. Not at first. Sounds like you wanted to leave the minute you got your girl back.” She stepped toward him them. “And _second_ , they didn’t run when you showed up. They fought. They tried to kill us - all of us! And now Tyler might - he’s missing - and - and you don’t get to say anything.”

“I _will_ say,” Damon moved toward her, “that if you don’t back up, right now, I’ll make you wish you were back in that bank.”

“Seriously?” Stiles rolled his eyes. “We _just_ got done fighting the Alphas. Now we’re gonna fight each other?”

“Careful, Spazzy McGee, you’re at the top of my list,” Damon rounded on the human.

“Get away from him,” Scott stepped between the two.

“The Alphas may have given us a fair fight,” Damon leaned in toward the kid, “but a vampire beats a regular old werewolf, any day.”

“How many times are we going to have this argument?” Lydia pinched the bridge of her nose at the same time that Jeremy mumbled.

“Unless they know what the bite can do.”

“Wait,” Isaac looked around at the vampires in the room, “what can the bite do?”

Damon shot Jeremy a dark look.

“It itches,” he deadpanned. “Like a bitch.”

“We’ve been with them all summer, Damon, fighting alongside them” Stefan sighed. “They need to know. For all of our safety.” He turned to face the rest of the group. “A bite from a werewolf is lethal to a vampire.

“Seriously, Stefan?” Damon whirled around.

“Months working together,” Derek eyed the brothers, “and you never thought to mention this.”

“We weren’t the enemies,” Damon rolled his eyes, “your Alphas were. And like we’re going to just hand over a list of our weaknesses to some strangers.”

“Unless it's just a bite from your werewolves,” Lydia commented with a wave of her hand. “Science defines groups of biological organisms on the basis of shared characteristics.”

“We all had biology Lydia,” Jackson huffed. “What's your point?”

“She's right,” Stiles nodded. “You guys always said that your werewolves were different than ours. How?”

“Are you serious?” Damon threw his head back. “This was like Beacon Hills, day one stuff.”

“Well, _some_ of us weren’t around,” Stiles crossed his arms and glanced at Scott, “to hear the whole story.”

“Lycanthropy, well, the kind we know of,” Jeremy started, “is genetic. And it only is triggered if the person with the gene kills someone, accident or not. They don't have Alphas, or Betas or Omegas, like you, either. I mean, there are pack Alphas, but they’re chosen. It’s different.”

“So, it's possible that your bites are harmless against vampires,” Lydia continued. “You're a part of the same family, but not species. There are plenty of species of snakes, but not all of them are venomous. Same logic.”

“There's no way to know for sure, though,” Elena cut in warily. “This is different magic, different curses, not different branches of the animal kingdom.”

“We can always do a scientific experiment on your asshole boyfriend,” Erica shrugged.

“Watch it, blondie,” Damon lifted a single finger.

“I actually wouldn't mind seeing that.”

The entire room's occupants all turned their heads at the new voice. The werewolves were immediately on the defensive as the young woman sauntered in through the open door like she owned the place, a smirking companion not far behind.

“Can we get _one night,_ just one night, of no more surprise strangers or threats or bloodshed or human sacrifices?”

“Human sacrifices?” Elena cocked her head.

“Yeah,” Stiles nodded at Scott, “we still gotta fill them in.”

“As much as what you just said terrifies me,” Isaac swallowed and faced the open front door, “can we get back to them?”

“Relax, pups,” Damon waved a single hand. “It's just the Original Blondie Bitch. Actually, in fact, don't relax. Attack. Sick her. Fetch. Kill.”

“Shut up, Damon.”

“Ah, good old Mattie Donovan. So glad you grew a spine. Even if you still are a pain in my ass to no end.”

“Nice to see you, too,” Matt rolled his eyes and detangled his and Rebekah's fingers.

It was just in time to be practically tackled into a hug by Caroline, followed by another bruising embrace from Elena. Jeremy strode over and the two clapped each other's' shoulders.

“Miss us already?” Jeremy laughed.

“Did you get our message?” Caroline swallowed. “About - Tyler?”

“Yeah,” Matt took a sudden interest in the floor, “I got it. But if anyone can go missing and be presumed dead _and_ turn up alive, it’s Tyler. I’m not giving up on him.”

“We’re gonna keep looking,” Jeremy nodded.

“I should’ve been here earlier, man,” Matt lifted his head. “I could’ve helped.”

“Well,” Damon waved at the blonde beside him, “she could’ve. You would’ve just been in the way, as usual.”

“There’s a reason I told you to stay away,” Caroline patted her friend’s shoulder. “To keep you safe. Trouble back home is one thing, but getting you involved with all of this didn’t feel right.”

“Yeah, but now _Tyler_ isn’t safe, Care,” Matt shook his head. “We should’ve been here.”

“Wait,” Elena glanced at the pair, “ _why_ are you _both_ here?”

“Look,” Rebekah stepped forward, “I don't particularly like any of you.”

“You don’t know half of us,” Stiles muttered at the same time Elena bit back, “You’ve tried to _kill_ most of us.”

“But I do like Matt,” she continued with a put-upon shrug, “and he somehow tolerates you lot. Besides, some of you were actually nice to me, so, I thought I'd at least give you a warning and offer a head start.”

“What warning?” Stefan crossed his arms.

“I got in contact with Elijah a few days ago. He told me that Nik was coming, _here_.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS is it! The scene that started it all! Beginning from Damon telling the werewolves that they should be thanking them, through the next chapter, was the FIRST SCENE I wrote for this story. This was going to be closer to the beginning and before the others being kidnapped and put into the vaults, etc, but obviously, the story changed and so pieces of this conversation/scene changed. But I thought you might like to know that this was where it all began!


	48. It Pours

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Klaus?! Be honest. Who saw that coming? After taking almost 50 chapters just to save them from the bank, I almost cut out my Klaus storyline completely and left it just the Darach and the Alphas, but that would've been too easy for the wolves plus the vamps. Not to mention the thousands of words I'd already written for it....

“Here?” Caroline swallowed, exchanging glances with the other vampires. “Why?”  

Rebekah sauntered over to a high back antique chair covered in dust. She brushed at the seat cushion, contemplated it, then turned her nose up and just leaned an elbow against the back.

“Elena may have been turned so he can no longer make hybrids, but he still has an obsession with werewolves. His kind is almost extinct. And the ones that were still alive, he killed while trying to make his own stupid hybrid army the first time. He cared little for this werewolf species because he didn't think they could be turned into his hybrids. Now that he can't make any anymore, he doesn't care. Elijah says that Nik is tired of running, having spent so many years chasing Katherine and her bloodline. He wants to – Elijah says – _settle_.”

“Why don't I get a nice image of your brother just kicking back in white picket fenced suburbia?” Damon dropped into the chair and Rebekah stepped away, rolling her eyes.

“My brother has been searching for a place that fits his liking. But first, he plans on gathering power. Werewolves.”

“Why now? Why here?” Stefan interjected, eyeing the Beacon Hills residents in the room, feeling something dropping in his gut.

“Werewolves aren't my brothers only obsession.” Rebekah crossed the room and propped herself up on a table, crossing her legs over the side with far too casual of ease. “Nik has only ever had one friend in his very long lifetime. _You_. Just because you're no longer the Ripper, doesn't mean he isn't hoping for the day you slip back.”

“That's never going to happen,” Stefan said with a hint of a threat in his words.

“Either way,” Rebekah continued, nonplussed, “he's been having you watched. He knows you came here and he knows about the werewolf pack. And the Alphas. That’s probably why they decided to keep your little hybrid friend once they figured out what he was. Probably caught wind of the way things were heading around here and wanted a bargaining chip, or peace offering, whichever. But it doesn’t matter. Nik wants the Alphas, the pack, you, the entire town.”

“I knew there had to be another reason for Tyler,” Elena glanced at Caroline, recalling their conversation from the previous night. “And I wondered if someone else was pulling Deucalion’s strings.”

“Why the town?” Caroline looked worriedly at the young pack members.

“The werewolves are already here, so it's convenient for him. Not to mention that it's a town surrounded entirely by forest, much like Mystic Falls. He's bored of Mystic Falls. He wouldn't try to take it, except for maybe out of spite now. But, right now, he's coming here.”

There was a stiff silence that settled over the room.

“Okay,” Stiles stood up, arms flying above his head. “Who are you? Who's this Nik guy? What's a hybrid? Who's Elijah and Katherine? And what is so terrifying that it's got a group of freaking _vampires_ scared?”

“And how can we stop him?” Derek added.

“Or trust you?” Erica folded her arms.

“What's a ripper?” Isaac glanced at Stefan.

“You better start explaining,” Lydia stepped forward, “or things are going to get pretty messy in here.”

The vampires and humans of Mystic Falls shared silent glances.

“We've shared a lot of our histories while together, but there's a lot more," Stefan finally spoke after a long pause. "You all might want to sit down,” he sighed. “This is going to take a while.”

 

* * *

 

“I suddenly feel like my past year of high school supernatural survival was very easy.”

Stiles was, predictably, the first person to speak after the vampires had finished detailing their last few years.

“So,” Isaac started, a hitch in his voice, “what do we do?”

“You guys?” Damon snorted. “Against _Klaus_? Run, run, and oh, keep running.”

“Damon -”

“No, Stefan. If Klaus wants to take Mayberry, let him have it. I'm taking a page out of Katherine's extensive book of avoiding Klaus and getting the _hell_ out of here. I suggest you pups do the same.”

“Just leave Beacon Hills?” Jackson grunted, not sounding entirely against the idea.

“If you want to live past high school graduation, _yes_!”

“No,” Scott stepped forward, speaking for the first time in the meeting. “Our families are here. Our friends.”

“Then, genius, take them _with_ you,” Damon rolled his eyes.

“We can't take the whole town with us,” Scott snapped back. “The Alphas are still here and this vampire - or hybrid - or whatever - is coming. Even if we leave, everyone else here will be in danger.”

“Your point?” Damon lifted his brow.

“We can't just leave them to die!” Scott took a warning step toward the vampire.

“You're about as morally annoying as Stefan, _mutt_.”

“But he's right,” Derek moved to stand beside the beta.

“And here I was beginning to like you,” Damon snorted.

“If Klaus comes here, what will he do?” Boyd questioned evenly.

“Make himself king,” Rebekah replied with a bored tone. “Make the werewolves serve him or die. Probably turn a few people for more protection. For everyone else, they'll either be killed, kept as food or entertainment, or live under his thumb. He would have to at least keep up appearances. The rest of the world couldn't know anything was wrong at all in the town. It would risk hunters coming for him. Ever hear of Roanoke? Elijah wasn't a fan of the publicity and myth the disappearances received. Klaus only changed his tactics when a group of hunters nearly killed myself and Kol. Eventually, he’ll get bored and move on, taking his new army with him. That’s what he really wants most out of all of this anyway. He’s been whining about going back to New Orleans.”

“We can't let that happen to these people,” Jeremy moved to stand with the pack.

“You barely survived Klaus' fun in Mystic Falls,” Damon grabbed the kid and dragged him back over. “In fact, you _didn't_. Little Miss Witch had to work the magics to bring your incredibly brainless self back to the land of the living. You want to risk that again? Do you remember what your death did to Elena?”

“Damon,” Elena stepped between them, “he's right.”

“He is so – wait – he's _what_?”

“He's right. Klaus destroyed my family. He took Jenna, my mom, John. He's the reason Alaric is gone. The reason Jeremy died in the first place.”

“Wait,” Allison shook her head. “I thought that Katherine killed him?”

“Yes, but it was Klaus' fault she became a vampire. Why _I_ became a vampire. I mean, Meredith gave me vampire blood to save me. And technically, Rebekah was the reason Matt and I drove off the bridge, but the only reason Meredith had to save me in the first place is because I was hurt when Tyler was saving me from _Klaus_. It all comes back to Klaus. We can't keep letting him get what he wants. We can't let him do to everyone here what he did to all of us.”

“And how do you suggest we stop him, Elena?” Damon rolled his eyes. “We can't kill him without killing ourselves, remember?”

“Can you do what you did the last time?” Lydia suggested. “The spell you used to bind Klaus before?”

“It won't be easy,” Stefan sighed. “He'll be expecting it this time. He knows it's our only move now without killing him.”

“We'll need Bonnie,” Elena announced, glancing to Jeremy and then pulling out her phone.

“Wait,” Jeremy stepped forward with a hand raised. “Should we really bother her? You just said that he'll be expecting it this time. Maybe we should try to think of a different plan.”

“ _Jeremy_ ,” Bonnie whispered from behind him, only for his ears, “ _please_.”

“We still might need her help,” Elena countered, listening to the ringing on the other end of the line.

“She didn't answer,” Elena slid her phone back in her jeans. “She hasn't answered her phone since she left. She barely emails anymore.”

“First she doesn’t come to help when Elena is taken, and now when Tyler needs help?” Caroline crossed her arms. “Bonnie would never just abandon us like this, no matter what.”

“I told you,” Jeremy pushed, “she can’t do magic. She can give me the name of another witch, or we can find one we used for the locator spells. She lost her powers. She feels bad enough that she can’t help. She’s embarrassed and - and grieving. Losing her magic, it was a part of her, more than that. It was her. For her, it’s like, like a piece, a big piece of her, died. Bringing her here, unable to do anything, she’ll feel even worse.”

Derek looked curiously at the boy, the kid's heart practically ripping out of its chest, the sweet smell of panic acting as his own personal perfume. Derek saw Isaac open his mouth and shot him a silencing glare. Derek was surprised. The vampires could surely have heard the teenager's fluctuating heartbeat had they been listening. They trusted the boy so completely that they didn't even think to be paying any attention to it. Derek had heard it before, but had been too distracted, concerned for Boyd and Erica and not caring enough for this stranger and his secrets. Now that he paid closer attention, though, it was there. And now that he had heard exactly how powerful this witch had been against this new apparent enemy, he was going to get answers.


	49. Second Chances

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is all still part of the original first written scene of this story (And so are the next 2-4 chapters)! Dang! So fun having everyone together in the same room!

“Uh, it's getting late,” Scott interrupted, sensing the Alpha's intentions. “Anyone up for pizza?”

“We don't need to eat food,” Damon replied dryly.  

“Well,” Stiles joined, always on the same wavelength as his best friend. “They do. And _a lot_. It's ridiculous. And mildly disturbing to watch. Trust me. And, not all of you are vampires.”

“I could definitely go for food,” Matt grinned, noticing the attempt to take a break, but not understanding the reason. “That was a long flight. You coming, Jeremy?”

“Actually,” Derek cut in, “I was hoping to discuss some things with Jeremy.”

“Me?”

“You were trained by a vampire hunter,” Derek reasoned. “Argents are werewolf hunters. Looks likes we're going to need to know how to fight back. I'll be able to use the information to train my pack, too. We already trained a bit over the summer, but now that we know who and what we’re going to be up against, we need more specific strategy.”

“Then I'm staying too,” Damon stood stonily, crossing his arms. “The kid might drive me crazy but no way in hell am I leaving him alone with just one of you after everything.”

“Fair enough,” Derek conceded, biting back a retort. “Everyone else should go. Get something to eat. Tell your parents whatever stories you need to tell, but, same as before, no one is staying alone tonight. But we should vary it up from the loft.”

“It's not smart to all be cooped in one spot though with the full moon just last night and the Alphas still out there,” Scott advised.

“Fine,” Lydia reasoned. “Girls at my house. Guys at yours.”

Scott fixed her with a confused glare.

“What? Your mom knows the truth and my parents won't even notice or care. I'll say it's a girls night.”

“No way in _hell_ am I going to let you go with a werewolf or a hunter without me,” Damon blocked Elena’s path.

“Caroline’ll be there. They helped save me, Damon. And they’re right. We all need to relax a little before making a game plan. After Tyler, everything, I - we could use a distraction.”

The group fell silent for a long moment.

“That doesn't exactly divide evenly,” Jeremy spoke up. “Is that safe?”

“That's sweet that you're worried,” Lydia chided, “but I'm _pretty_ sure we can take care of ourselves. Allison's a hunter. I'm a genius. Elena's a vampire. According to you guys, Klaus has this creepy love obsession thing with Caroline so I doubt he'd hurt her. And he won't kill his own sister. And if the Alphas come knocking, I think an Original vampire can take care of them – not to mention the mountain ash I keep stocked now. It's you _men_ that I'm worried about, ripping each other apart before sunrise.”

“The full moon isn't tonight,” Jackson impatiently reminded her.

“Oh, I wasn't talking about that. Besides, Scott and the vampires can keep the rest of you in check. The testosterone levels in here are already suffocating. I suggest you boys put away the rulers and try working together and getting along so you don't kill each other before the Alphas and Klaus have a chance. I’m honestly amazed you all survived each other over the summer. The more _evolved_ half of this team is going to go and enjoy a night off from all of this craziness. If you need saving, we'll be just a phone call away, enjoying mojitos by the pool.”

Lydia spun daintily on her heel and marched off, pausing in her dramatic departure only to kiss her boyfriend goodbye.

“Well,” Allison grinned, stifling a laugh. “I think that's our cue. Lydia may not be a werewolf or a vampire, but she can be just as terrifying if she doesn't get her way.”

“Reminds me of someone,” Elena elbowed Caroline playfully in the ribs.

“I knew I liked her,” Caroline agreed with a nod.

“Are you coming?” Allison motioned to Rebekah when the vampire didn’t follow them.

“You _want_ me along?” The Original looked interested for the first time since she had stopped speaking.

“You're our badass protection detail, aren't you?” Allison teased.

“So you want me there just so no one kills you,” Rebekah deadpanned.

“Basically,” Caroline answered while Elena shrugged.

“Look,” Allison moved toward Rebekah, “I don't know about them, but Lydia invited you. And that's saying something. I just sat here and heard the story. I don't doubt you did some pretty bad things. But you did come here to warn all of us. And you didn't just leave right after delivering the message. After my mom died, I did some things – some stuff I really regret,” her eyes wandered to Scott and the pack. “You lost your youngest brother and your mother. After everything you've been through – let's just say I recently became an advocate for second chances.” Allison paused. “And besides, Lydia will probably take us all shopping in the morning to take our minds off things. It's a Lydia thing. Just don't be surprised when she picks out all your clothing for you.”

Rebekah eyed the hunter skeptically, keeping her gaze guarded. A soft smile spread across her lips and finally, she nodded.

“You didn't mention me.”

Everyone's heads turned to watch as the borderline angry and hurt Erica sauntered forward.

“Lydia said all girls,” Erica hissed, “but when she gave her little 'girl power' speech, she didn't even mention me.”

“You tried to kill her,” Allison argued, “back when you thought she might be the Kanima.”

“You tried to kill us!” Erica made to grab at Allison but was stopped, surprisingly, by Rebekah. “Let go of me! You don't know what she did!”

“Whatever it was,” The Original easily pushed the beta backwards, “I _highly_ doubt it even comes _close_ to the horrors I have committed in my _very_ long lifetime. We have far more important things to deal with at the moment. So, _get over it_.”

“Are you serious? She shot me with an arrow! She shot Boyd! We were both down and she wouldn't stop! I _begged_ her. And then her crazy grandfather tortured us in their basement!”

“I killed Elena's brother once,” Damon piped in unhelpfully. “Of course, he had on the Gilbert ring, so it doesn't count. Rebekah tried to kill Elena, and Matt, who was just caught in the crossfire. _Technically speaking_ , she did kill Elena.”

“Not helping, Damon,” Elena ground out.

“Look, sister,” Damon lifted his hands toward Erica, “I'm no Rebekah-backer over here. If you two want to tear each other apart, then, by all means, go for it. I'll grab the popcorn. But, if you're seriously going to hold a grudge over a few _arrows_ , especially when said guilty party is no longer trying to kill you, but _help_ you, then -”

“What my brother is trying to say, Erica,” Stefan cut in, “is that everyone makes mistakes -”

“Yeah, you hit me over the head with a piece of my own jeep and then tried to kill Lydia and I still helped save your life,” Stiles grunted.

“But everyone,” Stefan continued, “also deserves a second chance. Just like Allison said.”

Erica relaxed, teeth retracting until Rebekah finally freed the werewolf. Erica didn't look pleased, but she trudged after the girls nonetheless. The rest of the pack visibly relaxed and Derek's eyes bled back from the crimson that had taken over when the vampire had touched his beta.

“Alright,” Stiles clapped his hands, “Scary she-vamp versus she-wolf fight averted. Awesome. Lead the way, Scottie, my man.”

“I'll save you some slices,” Matt offered to Jeremy with a pitying parting glance.

“I'll save you some too, Derek,” Stiles added, to which he received a familiar glare. “Or not. Kill a guy for trying to be nice. Play nice while we're gone then.”

“Please,” Scott turned around at the door, “nobody kill anyone.”

“We'll be fine,” Derek grunted, never taking his eyes off of Damon.

“Yeah,” Damon sauntered over and patted Scott's shoulder. “Go run along to the kid's table. The grown-ups need privacy.”

“Damon,” Stefan warned.

“I promise,” Damon placed a hand over his heart. “I'll play nice.”

With that, the remaining men slowly departed, leaving only the trio. Derek turned his cold stare from Damon to Jeremy, causing the kid to straighten.


	50. Truth, Set Me Free

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this is an exchange we've seen before, just with a few additions and changes.

“You're lying.”

Jeremy's frame went stiff and Derek could hear him swallow, could practically taste the sweat beading against his hairline.

“What?” Damon sidestepped in front of the younger Gilbert.

“He's lying, about the witch.”

“Bonnie?”

“When he was talking about her, I could hear his heartbeat change. He lied. He’s _been_ lying this entire time. Stefan was suspicious too. He confronted you and you lied that time too, didn’t you? We were busy trying to find the others and it wasn’t my place to press then. What did you do?”

“Do?” Damon whipped his head from Derek to Jeremy and back. “Jeremy wouldn't _do_ anything to Bonnie. Well, anything she didn't ask for. His heartbeat probably changed because he's a damn foolish kid in love with an annoying witch.”

“I thought it would be too distracting for your friends to hear it when we had so much else to worry about,” Derek pushed forward. “Stefan knows, suspects, but I think he’s letting you make the choice when to let everyone else know.”

Since the first time the witch’s name had passed the hunter’s lips, Derek had been able to smell the grief pouring off of him in currents. The kid shoved it down well. Derek might have easily mistaken the scent for something over a bad breakup. But he knew far too well the pain Jeremy was feeling. Had tasted it before again and again. He himself probably practically reeked with it.

“I'm sorry,” Derek looked at Jeremy with a softness his pack wouldn't recognize. “But you need to tell them. And now, before things around here get worse. It will only make it harder if you don't.”

“Tell us, what? Jeremy?”

_“Jeremy, no. Not now.”_

“This is ridiculous. Jeremy, call Wonderless Witch. Get her over here, powers or no powers.”

Jeremy didn't respond right away, foggy eyes drifting over to meet Derek's. Grief surged with every expelled breath, reaching higher peaks, never sufficiently soothed by his long intakes of the damp evening air.

“That's the problem,” Jeremy started slowly, clearing his throat. “I can't call her. No one can.”

 _“Please, don't do this Jeremy,”_ the ghost whispered from next to him.

“I've,” Jeremy turned away from her, “I've been lying to everyone this whole summer, and I can't keep lying knowing everyone's waiting for her to swoop in and save the day.”

“I don't speak 'crazy person', Jer. You're gonna have to translate that for me.”

“Think about it, Damon.” Jeremy finally looked at the vampire. “I was dead. I wasn't supposed to come back.”

“Yes, exactly.” Damon leaned back and wiggled his fingers with a flourish. “The beauty of Bonnie magic, which is what we need right now. So, tell her to stop moping and hiding halfway across the world, get off her judgy little behind, and figure out a way to power back up.”

“You're not hearing me.” Jeremy started again, shaking his head. “Magic finds a balance. I'm not _supposed_ to be here.”

And in that moment, the other shoe dropped like a crashing building, followed by Damon's face.

“No.”

“You can't just bring somebody back from the dead. There is _always_ a price to pay for it.”

“Don't say it, Jeremy. Don't you dare.”

Derek's brow narrowed at the sudden sadness seeping from the vampire's form.

“Nobody has spoken to her in months.”

 _“Please, Jeremy,”_  Bonnie edged closer to him.

“You say it, and everything in Elena's life goes to crap, do you understand me? She got you back. We saved her. She's going to college. She finally – you can't. Tyler might be - he’s missing. Not to mention we're all gonna be killed by Klaus without her. Everything changes.”

 _“Do not say it, Jeremy_. _”_

“Don't,” Damon unknowingly echoed the witch.

Jeremy took a breath, exhaling the two words together like a punch he didn’t want to throw.

“Bonnie's dead.”

“Damn it, Jeremy! Do you realize what you just did?” Damon turned and paced away from the teenager. “Why would you say that?”

“I'm sorry,” Jeremy swallowed. “People need to know.”

Damon spun around, his features riddled with emotions. He began marching dangerously toward Jeremy. Derek tensed and readied himself for a fight as Damon appeared to be about to attack the human. At the last second, Damon's face shifted, but not into his vampire form. A softness overtook him and he suddenly pulled the kid tight into his arms. Derek stood by silently during the embrace until Jeremy finally stepped back.

“How are we supposed to tell everyone?” Jeremy swiped subtly at his eyes. “First Tyler and now this? I've known all this time and I'm barely -” the boy stopped himself, swallowing tears. “We've all lost too many family and friends.”

“They're strong,” Damon nodded. “They'll pull through this.” Shaking his head, the vampire turned to Derek. “You got any good liquor? Whiskey, preferably.”

“I thought vampires couldn't get drunk, like us.”

“Well,” Damon patted Jeremy's shoulder, “tonight, I'm going to try _very_ hard.”

“That's not true,” Jeremy placed a hand out to stop the vampire. “They can get drunk. It just takes more. And, Damon, you drunk and upset is not the help we need right now.”

“Look at you, all _mature_.”

“I won't let you go off and get drunk and then _accidentally_ kill someone,” Jeremy moved in front of him. “I know no matter what you say, you cared about Bonnie. And this hurts you too. And it hurts you ‘cause it hurts Elena. But it hurts me, too, Damon. It _all_ hurts. Tyler. Bonnie. I _can’t_ do this. Not by myself. Please – I – I need your help.”

“Alright, alright.” Damon gripped the kid’s shoulder. “Fine.”

“When should we tell them?” Jeremy sighed.

“Tonight,” Derek offered. “No one's alone. It might be safer. You can't keep it a secret forever. And with everything happening, it's gonna come out. Right now, they're putting their hope in something that isn't there.”

“Can’t we give them one night?” Jeremy echoed the ghost’s plea from the corner.

“We just found out this town is about to turn into a war zone,” Derek sighed. “They might not get another night.”

“I'll tell the girls,” Damon volunteered unhappily. “I think Elena might need me.”

“I'll take the guys then,” Jeremy breathed unevenly.

“It'll be okay,” Derek looked at the boy. “My pack – we know loss well too. They'll try to help your friends.”

“Thank you,” Jeremy nodded. “Can – can you give me a ride over?”

“Yeah, sure,” Derek shrugged. “Damon, do -”

He turned to find Damon having disappeared.

“It's okay,” Jeremy reassured the werewolf warily. “This isn't about him. He might be a dick, but he'll do anything for Elena. And as much as he would never admit it, and, even though he tried to kill her a few times, I think he secretly liked Bonnie.”

 

* * *

 

“There has to be something we can do,” Elena said, determination and desperation swimming against her words. “There's always something.”

“Elena -”

“No, Damon!” Elena backed away, out of her boyfriend's reach. “There's always something.”

“Nothing that doesn't come without a price,” Damon shook his head.

Telling Elena and Caroline was just about the last thing Damon wanted to do. But it was something, he knew, he needed to. Showing up in Lydia's backyard while the girls were in fact sipping mixed drinks and laughing in a hot tub. Damon hated himself for ruining this happiness as he listened to Elena laugh.

“Your boyfriend's here,” Erica had announced before Damon revealed himself.

“Um, excuse me,” Lydia raised her glass. “This is strictly a girls-only pre-Beacon Hills apocalypse party. No boys allowed.”

“I need to talk to Elena and Caroline,” Damon had said, voice scratching. “It's important.”

The girls had shared a worried glance at the vampire's tone. The three had wandered into an enclosed patio, but there was no use seeking out privacy with werewolves and vampires right outside. The moment the words had passed Damon's lips, Caroline was turning and running out the door. Damon only minutely considered going after her, but Elena was his priority, and currently yelling in his face.

“Stop trying to touch me!” Elena reeled back again. “I don't need you to comfort me. I need you to help me fix this!”

“This isn't something we _can_ fix, Elena.”

“No,” Elena straightened, taking a shuddering breath. “We can’t lose Bonnie. _I_ can’t lose her.”

“It's okay to be upset.”

“No, no, it's not. Damon, the last time I got _upset_ over someone dying, I turned my humanity off and killed someone. I need to be strong. I'm supposed to have learned how to handle this, but -” Despite her best efforts, trails of tears began to make their marks down her cheeks. “I can't keep doing this, Damon. Tyler is missing. He could be dead. Bonnie's dead. She gave up her life so that I could have my brother back, and I didn't even know about it.”

“I know,” Damon whispered, all he could bring himself to say.

“I can't believe this is happening.”

The couple collided together, Damon's arms encircling her shaking body.

“I can't believe she's gone.”

“I'm so sorry,” Damon spoke as he stroked her hair.

Neither noticed the ghost of their friend watching through the window.

 

* * *

 

 Caroline hesitated outside the unfamiliar house. She would have had to be invited in, which meant she would have had to walk up to the front door. After initially running there as fast as her vampyrism would allow, she now seemed rooted to the cement sidewalk. After standing there for nearly an entire minute, the door opened.

“Hey,” Derek closed the door and stood awkwardly on the stone steps.

Caroline instinctively attempted a small smile of greeting, but failed.

“I – I came – I needed to talk to Stefan. He – he's my friend and - he always knows what to say - I -”

“It's okay. He's inside with uh – Matt? He didn't take the news well. And Jeremy’s not, well, he's just going to be a minute. I heard you come. Stefan asked me to make sure you were okay. Are you – okay?”

Putting up her hands, Caroline turned away from him.

“Please don't ask me because then I'm going to have to try to come up with an answer, which means I'm gonna actually think about it, and then I'll start crying, and I'm afraid that I might not ever be able to stop.”

Derek folded himself down onto one of the cement steps and motioned for Caroline to join him.

“I'm sorry,” he started, unsure. “From everything you’ve told me about her over the summer, I wish I could've known her.”

“I don't know. Part of me just wishes I could trade places with you, because without memories of her it wouldn't hurt so damn much.”

Derek looked at her, swallowing around his next words.

“It's okay.”

It was a stupid thing to say, really. He had hated those types of platitudes after the fire. But what else could he say to her? To comfort her? And why did he find himself wanting so much to do so?

“No. It's not.” Caroline shook her head. “I'm never gonna see her again, and I have no idea where Tyler is, and I just got so used to them being there all the time, and now what? I'm supposed to just learn to move on without them? How do I do that when all I have is this sadness and this anger and -”

“Me,” Derek interrupted softly. “You have me. You were there for me when my pack was taken. Sounds like you're always there for everyone. So let me be there for you, okay?”

After a long moment, Caroline nodded.

“And you have your friends.” Derek continued, placing a tentative hand on her knee. “Stefan, Elena, Matt, Jeremy. You all have each other. You're a pack, just like we are. A family. I lost most of my family a long time ago, but I've never lost their memories. At first, I hated them. It's why I left Beacon Hills after they died. But now I hold onto them. Protect them. And then just try to hold on and protect the people I have left.”

For the first time since she had first turned away, the vampire finally looked at him. And when their eyes met, every steadying breath, every wall she had started to construct the minute she head the news, every voice that told her to stay strong for her friends, everything crumbled. And when she fell into his arms, he was ready, pulling her to his chest, one hand cupping the back of her head as she sobbed into his shirt. Neither were exactly sure just how long they stayed like that. But when Caroline finally pulled away, eyes swollen and cheeks flushed, she didn’t hesitate this time before catching his gaze.

“I’m staying,” Caroline placed her own hand on his. “Not just for Tyler. It’s what Bonnie would do. I am _done_ with people I care about dying. Klaus isn’t going to get you.” She paused and blinked, breathing in as she realized what she had said. “Any of you.”


	51. For Whom the Bell Tolls

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You'll notice that this chapter is longer than the others. So far, they've ranged to be about 1-2k words/ each. This one is over 4k words. I had wanted to get chapters up fast and was dividing them up for pacing, but I really want to push myself to do longer chapters for ya'll. Especially since I'm concurrently working on my "actual" novel. Novel chapters are usually 3-5k words, so I'm trying to practicing my pacing for that word count. I hope this is okay with everyone. It's still the same amount of content, just not as split up.

It was Caroline who suggested that they do a memorial for their fallen friend. They met the following morning in the woods, surrounding a tree stump. The wolves had agreed to come, hanging back beyond the edge of the clearing. Even Stiles, Lydia and Allison were keeping watch in Stiles’ Jeep up on the road. They might have been mostly strangers apart from a few months of shared enemies and survival, but loss was something they all understood too well. There were still too many threats looming over their heads for the grieving and distracted vampires and humans to be left alone in the woods.

Jeremy was the first to move forward, resting the photograph of Bonnie that he always carried with him in his wallet atop the stump. It was the two of them, one in a series of photo booth snapshots. Jeremy had sneezed and Bonnie was mid-post-sneeze-laugh while Jeremy was still holding back a smile. Caroline approached next with black and red cheerleading pom poms. They weren't hers or Bonnie's or even from their school. Rebekah had stolen them for Caroline from a neighboring city's high school a few hours earlier. Matt followed her, pulling the lifeguard whistle out of his pocket. It represented a simpler time for all of them. He carried it with him to remind himself of the good, even amid the bad. And Bonnie was definitely part of that good. Elena and Matt clasped hands briefly as they walked past each other. Standing beside the tree trunk, Elena scattered white feathers while something akin to a smile played against her lips. The girls had spent the night listening to Caroline and Elena tell stories of Bonnie and their friendship. When Lydia had heard how Bonnie originally showed Elena her magic for the first time, Lydia had disappeared into her bedroom. Moments later she had re-appeared in the sitting room with an armful of pillows and scissors.

Before leaving the McCall house, Jeremy had reached into his bag and pulled out Bonnie's spell book, handing it to Damon.

 _“I can't hang onto it anymore,”_ he had said soberly, _“It just reminds me of why she's gone.”_

Damon placed the book next to the pom poms and stepped back, wrapping his girlfriend's hand in his own. Stefan moved then, a long-stemmed rose in his hand. He didn't have anything of personal value to offer, but commented on how Bonnie was like the flower, beautiful, but dangerous. Delicate, but strong. As he turned, he watched sadly as Elena and Caroline clung to one another, Matt being pulled close by Elena's free hand.

 _“It's okay,”_ Bonnie spoke, appearing beside Jeremy. _“They need this.”_

“We're here to honor Bonnie,” Jeremy cleared his throat, “in remembrance for her. I – uh – I'm not sure what else to say.”

_“Say that I'm not going anywhere. Say that even though they couldn't see me, I've been there the whole time.”_

Jeremy repeated her words with a growing lump in his throat.

 _“And I saw you happy,”_ Bonnie spoke as she walked among her friends, _“and I know you think now that you can't have a normal life -”_

“ - that you have to be there for everyone, but you don't.”

 _“Everyone will find their way,”_ Bonnie approached Elena. _“You're going to make it back home and you're going to go to college, and you're gonna live it up. Damon will take care of Jeremy, even if I have to haunt him to make sure.”_

She moved to Matt.

_“You didn't do anything wrong. You know I would've sent you 100 emails back if I could. I miss you.”_

_“Caroline, you're gonna decorate that dorm room like your life depends on it. And I know you feel like something's missing, but – Tyler -”_

Everyone turned, watching as the hybrid made a slow progression through the trees and into the clearing. The wolves had been crouching, ready to attack, until they caught the scent of his grief and saw the way Jeremy looked at him in the distance. All the wolves, of course, except Erica. Her hand was on her mouth as she resisted the urge to leap from the trees and -

Caroline ran toward the werewolf and they wrapped arms around one another, and Erica stilled.

“You’re alive?” Caroline must have started crying again because Tyler only pulled her tighter, despite the grimace that painted his face when he did so. “How are you alive?”

“I’ll explain later.” He pulled back only slightly with arms still around her and leaning heavily to one side. “I was coming to find you - when I heard - this.” He stared past Caroline and to the memorial. “I - I can’t believe it.”

Once separated, Tyler made his way toward the stump, placing a humble selection of wildflowers atop it. Jeremy patted him on the back before Elena offered him her embrace.

“ _This is good,_ ” Bonnie remarked with a genuine smile to Jeremy. “ _This is all I wanted. I'll be okay. We'll all be okay._ ”

Bonnie slipped her hand into Jeremy's. Across the clearing, Damon encased Elena in his arms while Tyler held Caroline loosely. Beside them, Rebekah leaned her head on Matt's shoulder, but her eyes were connected with Stefan, providing her old friend and lover what little comfort she had to offer.

 

* * *

 

“Tyler,” Caroline broke the somber silence that had settled once the group had made the quiet journey over to the Hale house. “What happened?”

“The girl?” Tyler seemed to be scanning the house, as if waiting for someone to step outside. “Did she make it?”

“Girl?” Caroline squinted. “Oh, Erica? She -”

“Tyler!”

The vampires and humans turned and watched as the werewolves stepped out of the trees, one particular werewolf breaking into a run. Tyler jogged to meet her halfway and the pair collided.

“I thought you were dead!” Erica squealed. “How did you survive?”

“Hybrid, remember?” Tyler pulled back and grinned. “I’m tougher to kill than I look.”

“Debatable,” Damon rolled his eyes as the two walked together back to the house. “But glad you’re not worm food, for what it’s worth.”

“Uh, thanks?”

“Where have you been?” Stefan crossed his arms.

“Erica told me that it takes them longer to heal from an Alpha’s wounds. I think that’s why it took me so long too.”

“So you were hurt?” Caroline seemed to search his body for signs.

“Yeah,” Tyler nodded, rubbing at a phantom pain along his side. “Right after I told Jackson to run. Deucalion and I fought. He caught me by surprise and I ended up with a handful very sharp claws in my side, and the other set of five knuckle-deep in my gut.”

“We found the blood,” Caroline swallowed. “Jackson took us to where you last were, and there was so much blood. We tried to track the scent. To track you.”

“I ran. I was faster, but losing strength. There was still wolfsbane in my system. I could feel it burning in my legs with every breath. I tried to throw him off. Zig-zagged. Left blood trails in the wrong direction.”

“Just like Ric taught us,” Elena smiled softly.

“You did good,” Stefan nodded. “Threw us off.”

“Yeah,” Tyler sighed, “but Deucalion was smart. He got ahead of me. Cut me off. Said he was gonna take me back. By then, I’d figured there was only one reason why he’d go to such trouble to still keep me alive after all of that.” He side-eyed Rebekah. “Klaus.”

“Yeah,” Jeremy shook his head. “We got that news yesterday.”

“I’d rather die than let Klaus get to me, or anyone use me in any way to deal or work with him, whatever the plan was. He cornered me at the edge of the Preserve.”

Derek lifted his brow.

“You jumped.”

“Jumped?” Caroline repeated.

“Off a cliff,” Tyler confirmed, “and all the way down into a _very_ cold river. I think the shock gave me the adrenaline boost to keep going, swimming as long and as far as I could. The longer I could douse my scent, the better. When I couldn’t move anymore, I climbed up onto shore.” He paused, swallowing. “I was barely alive. I couldn’t even take down a deer. I stayed in the woods. Let myself heal. Covered my tracks and my scent, taking a lot of dips back in that river. Fed on squirrels and rabbits to try to help my healing, which, by the way Stefan, does actually suck and I kind of respect you a lot more because, _damn_ , disgusting.” Tyler glanced around. “Any of you wouldn’t happen to have a blood bag on you? I can barely stand.”

Tyler tipped and Caroline moved to help, but Erica was already there, slipping an arm underneath the hybrid’s shoulders. Both girls glanced at each other, and then worked together to help Tyler up the steps.

“Let’s get him inside,” Derek nodded at the house.

“Should we take him to Deaton?” Scott asked as they climbed the stairs.

“I just need blood and I’ll be okay.” Tyler shook his head.

“Yeah,” Isaac rubbed the back of his neck, “I’m _still_ so not going to get used to that.”

“Klaus is coming,” Elena summarized suddenly, watching as the hybrid’s jaw clenched, eyes hardening, but something in his lips twitched upward.

“So that _is_ why they wanted me,” Tyler grimaced after a moment.

“And the Alphas are still after us,” Erica shivered, stilling as Tyler reached over and took her hand.

“I want to help.”

“I hope you know what you're signing up for,” Derek warned, not unkindly.

“I do,” Tyler nodded, a determined set to his jaw. “Bonnie was always protecting us. Protecting everyone. She never would've let innocent people get hurt or die if she could do something about it. I’m staying. For Bonnie. For my mom. And for all the other packs I've found after Klaus ripped his way through them. I swore I’d kill him after he murdered my mom. I didn’t spend all this time looking for him, just to run now that’s it’s harder.”

“He's right,” Elena moved away from Damon. “Just because this isn't our town, doesn't mean it doesn't deserve our protection.”

“This is a stupendously stupid decision,” Damon rolled his eyes, “but hey, who wants to have a boring first year of college, huh?”

“I'll take any shot I can get to put Klaus in his place,” Jeremy added.

“Here, here,” Damon agreed sarcastically, raising an invisible glass. “No offense, Rebekah. Speaking of, well, _you_ , been meaning to ask - you're not going to pull an Elijah on us and stab us in the back during the final showdown against big bad brother, are you?”

“I won't take part in hurting him,” she straightened, “but I'm done protecting him from himself. I don't want him dead and I won't let anyone kill him, but I won't try and stop you from stopping him. I can, however, be helpful against these foolish Alphas. If I know Nik, and I do, he'll use them as soldiers for himself. He'll send the pawns first, werewolves and vampires, then the Alphas and hybrids. He's learned his lesson. He won't get his hands dirty unless he has to. _Them_ , I won't have any qualms about ripping to pieces.”

“I'm guessing there's not really a 'no killing' plan here,” Scott sighed, shaking his head.

“Here we go,” Jackson scoffed. “Scott's 'let's be friends with everyone who wants to kill us' policy.”

“In case you forgot,” Scott whirled around, “pretty much everyone wanted to kill _you_ when you were the Kanima! The Argents, Derek – I fought to save you!”

“This is different, Scott,” Isaac shifted uncomfortably.

“We don't kill people!”

“I don't like killing if I don't have to either,” Stefan interjected, approaching the young werewolf, “but they're right. The people that are coming here won't hesitate to kill you and everyone you care about. This isn't murder. This is protecting your home, your family, friends.”

“Inspiring, bro, really,” Damon clapped Stefan on the back.

“I know it's been a long night and morning for you,” Derek approached Jeremy, “but I am actually interested in what you were taught by the hunter. It doesn't have to be today but -”

“No,” Jeremy shook his head. “It's cool. I could use the distraction.”

“Having a vampire around would be good too,” Derek added, “so you could show us your skills and we could see how they fight.”

“I can stay,” Rebekah volunteered. “I am an Original so I'm the strongest and it'd show you what my brother is capable of. Plus, I’m getting bored.”

“Nope.”

The vampire turned to face the human girl with a look of confusion etched across her brow.

“Last night was only part one of girl time,” Lydia reminded them.

“There are unkillable creatures coming to kill us,” Jackson admonished his girlfriend. “Do you really think now is the time for girl time?”

“One,” Lydia lifted a finger, “ _you_ were unkillable once and we stopped you. Two, girl time is needed now more than ever,” she spoke, glancing over at Caroline and Elena.

“It's okay, Jackson,” Derek cut in. “I only want a few of you here for this anyway. It's better if we work in a small group and then train everyone else once we have a better understanding of how we all fight. It will be faster and more effective.”

“You too, sweetheart,” Lydia motioned for Cora.

“Uh, no offense, but I don’t know any of you,” she gestured at the girls, “and I didn’t just spend three months in a vault to get out and go shopping. I’m staying.”

“You’re not healed,” Derek crossed his arms. “It hasn’t even been two full days.”

“Boy Hunter Wonder filled me in on everything,” she shrugged. “Have one of the vamps give me some of their blood and I’ll be good as new.”

“Cora, stop -”

“No, Derek! You don’t get to tell me what to do. The last time I saw you, I was eleven. I survived the fire. I survived being completely alone for years until I found a pack to take me in. I survived the Alphas’ little game. I’m not some kid sister you need to protect. Now, I’m staying.”

There was a long moment of tense silence until Derek sighed and backed away, shaking his head.

“We’ll pick you up a few things,” Lydia grinned.

“You don’t need to do that,” Cora eyed the girl with something between annoyance and confusion.

“Oh, sweetie,” Lydia tilted her head and looked the werewolf up and down, “I do.”

“Seeing how my key battling strategy involves a baseball bat,” Stiles stood and clapped his hands together, breaking the last of the tension, “I think I can skip this part of boot camp then.” The boy swallowed once, twice, then cleared his throat. “Scott, buddy, Call of Duty challenge. You in?”

Scott swung his head around at that. Sure, the pair had been working together the past few days now, but all their conversations had been about mission plans or dead bodies by pools. The werewolf could hardly remember Stiles’ looking him in the eye.

“Everyone that can should take it easy today,” Stefan agreed, saving Scott from having to articulate a response. “Have fun. It's about to get rough.”

“See?” Stiles slapped a hand against his old best friend's back, either not noticing or ignoring the way Scott flinched. “Video game showdown at my place. My dad's working all day. But you guys can buy food because I _do_ want to be able to afford college one day.”

“I'll stay,” Damon sauntered to Jeremy's side. “Got to keep Little Gilbert here out of trouble.”

“Keep _yourself_ out of trouble,” Elena warned fondly, pecking his lips.

“You too,” Derek pointed at Tyler and waved him over. “You guys say Klaus will have hybrids with him.” He kept his tone neutral, even as the teenager stood with one arm wrapped casually around Caroline's torso.

“He just got back,” Caroline shook her head. “He’s not up to -”

“Some blood and I’ll be perfectly fine,” Tyler squeezed her hand, “I promise. I want to get Klaus more than anything.”

“It's a party,” Damon sing-songed. “A sergeant general werewolf, a lovesick hybrid, a gorgeous vampire, vampire hunter junior -”

“And me.”

Allison stepped forward.

“Uh, _hello_? Allison,” Lydia tapped her heel. “It's called _‘Girl_ Time’ for a reason. You can’t bail too.”

“You have a vampire hunter,” she ignored her friend. “You need a werewolf hunter. Jeremy and I will have to teach the humans so I might as well be here too. I know how to strategize. I can help come up with a plan.”

“You?” Damon eyed Allison from toes to hairline. “You look more harmless than Barbie did before her vampire upgrade.”

“Don't count on it,” Isaac said sourly.

“You're human,” Damon clucked. “And a girl. At least Jer's got the Gilbert anti-death ring.”

Allison bit back a retort, fingers twitching for her bow to teach the vampire a lesson.

“Allison's part of Scott’s pack,” Derek interrupted with a tone of finality. “And she's a highly skilled hunter from a line of the first werewolf hunters to have existed. If she says she wants to stay,” he reluctantly glanced over at the girl, “she stays.”

Allison offered the Alpha a look of surprise and gratitude.

“What about you, Stefan,” Damon wagged his eyebrows at his brother. “Care to join us?”

“I'm not hanging with Dumb and Dumber playing video games,” Jackson interrupted, rolling his eyes. “I have this year's lacrosse season to practice for.”

“It’s a Sunday,” Stiles threw his hands up, “and besides, hello, you're a werewolf now,” he swung his head back. “You don't really _need_ practice.”

“Yeah, but it's fun. More fun than sitting around your place with you two,” Jackson scoffed.

“I'm down for that,” Boyd moved next to Jackson. “I could use it after being cooped up for so long.”

“Go easy,” Derek warned. “You’re still healing too.”

“Sounds fun,” Matt sighed, “but I think the breakable human should stay away from the not so breakable werewolves.”

“No,” Derek shook his head. “You can go if you want. They need to learn control. Scott and Isaac put too many players in the hospital last year.”

“That means you too, Stiles,” Scott chuckled at his friend's long-suffering groan.

“As if I had no chance of playing first line before,” Stiles grumbled, “now I have to compete with _more_ werewolves. Great.”

“Hey,” Jackson shrugged, “maybe if you manage to not actually annoy the crap out of the entire team this year, we'll break a couple legs so you can play a game.”

“Gee, thanks,” Stiles begrudgingly followed the boys out the doors. “I almost think that was you saying something nice to me. Maybe being a murderous lizard monster has made you a better person. Maybe you -”

Everyone inside heard the yelp, followed by Stiles cursing Jackson quite colorfully. Isaac and Boyd were laughing as Scott shot a playful insult at his co-captain, which made Matt give a hoot.

Derek watched them go, brow bent. The younger werewolf hadn’t mentioned anything about Stiles. Sure, the kid had come back around to help and Scott hadn’t sent him away, yet. But he was pretty positive they hadn’t mended anything. He had had some time to see their friendship, their brotherhood bond first hand. He had known that it would survive the fight, survive the summer. But this? Stiles suddenly was acting as if nothing had happened at all. Either he was putting on a show and pretending for some reason, or just bottling it up. Either possibility didn’t exactly end well.

The girls, save Allison, left then as well and Derek couldn’t think long on it. Lydia was dragging Elena by the wrist, who, in turn, was clutching Caroline in a 'I'm not suffering this alone' desperate sort of way. Still, despite the recent news, Lydia's prattling about designer shoes was successfully distracting the grieving girls. By the time they reached Lydia's car, there was a round of giggling.

Back in the house, Derek wanted to smile. His and Scott’s packs had come together for something other than saving their own hides. Allison would help in training and battle plans, despite his reservations about her and her family. The boys would get in some training while allowing Stefan and Matt to blow off some steam. And Lydia would keep the girls from letting themselves be swallowed by sadness.

“Okay,” Damon ran his hand along the wall as he walked. “Before we start this little pow wow, we have a problem.”

“Which is?” Derek crossed his arms.

“I walked through your door.”

“Is that supposed to be some really bad threat or something?” Allison placed her hands against her hips, fingers conveniently close to the hilt of the knife in her belt.

“Get your finger off the trigger, Buffy, and allow me to demonstrate.”

Damon sauntered over to the front door, skipping back and forth over the threshold.

“Ta-da,” he finished with a flourish of his hands. “Not just me. We all crossed right over. Of course, we were a little distracted at the time to notice it. I did, obviously, months back when I first came. I’m surprised. You’ve had to invite us in, everywhere else, but never noticed it here.”

“How is that possible?” Jeremy glanced at Derek. “Tyler could still keep you guys out of his house when he was just a werewolf.”

“It's possible,” Damon moved back over by them, “because _you,_ ” he jabbed a thumb toward Derek, “don't own this house, do you? You said it _used_ to be your family's. You do have the whole Stefan-guilt-broody-live-in-squalor-as-punishment-for-my-sins vibe going on, but hey, you upgraded to a swanky loft. Not long before we got here, too. Furniture there was all new. But why the apartment? Because you _had_ to move, didn’t you?”

“The city took it over,” Derek grunted, grinding his teeth at just how much fun the vampire seemed to be getting out of this.

“So, lesson numero uno for our werewolf huntress here, Jeremy. What does that mean?”

Jeremy gave Damon a long-suffering glare, but spoke regardless.

“Vampires can't come into a house until they've been invited in. Unless the owner is dead or the house is vacant.”

“Yeah, Lydia explained that to me when I got back into town,” Allison furrowed her brow, “but I guess none of us thought about it.”

“And, therein, young grasshopper, lies our problem. We're going to need a place to operate our little suicide mission out of. We can train here. It is secluded so we won't be disturbed by any pesky humans. But, we need somewhere for the more breakable members of our respective Scoobie gang to be when the real fighting starts, besides the loft since they know we’ve been there all summer.”

“No way am I hiding when my friends are in danger,” Allison straightened.

“I'm not sitting this one out Damon,” Jeremy spoke at the same time.

“Do you remember what happened last time you got involved?” Damon advanced on Jeremy. “You got yourself killed. Elena barely survived that. I am _done_ having this conversation every single time. Did you forget about Anna? Ric? Jenna? _Bonnie_?”

Even Damon didn't see the fist coming before it was too late. Rubbing his jaw, the vampire calmed himself.

“I agree,” Derek split the silence.

“ _Finally_ ,” Damon threw his head back, “someone with a brain.”

“With _them_ ,” Derek finished.

“Are you _crazy_? Look, I know Robina Hood over there tried to kill your pack and you don't know Jeremy -”

“I'm not agreeing with them to get them killed,” Derek snapped, fists clenching. “I don't like it. I don't like any of them being involved, but this isn't about playing it safe. It's about playing it smart. We'll waste time and energy trying to convince them to stay out of it. Any other situation, I'd just lock them up to keep them out of the way. But, and I hate saying this, we're going to need them.”

“No, I like locking them up. Let's go with that. Or would you rather be distracted by having to protect them?”

“You won't need to protect us,” Allison's eyes met Derek's in understanding. “Because we're going to split up.”

“ _What?_ Is this Crazy Town? Is everyone here suicidal?”

“No,” Jeremy nodded. “It makes sense.”

“What does?” Cora glanced from one human to the other.

“Vampires can't come inside if they're not invited in,” Jeremy explained, “but that won't stop werewolves.”

“You want to use yourselves as _bait_?” Damon yelled to the ceiling.

“They'd come after us anyway,” Allison argued. “We're with you. Whether we meet them on the battlefield or hide, if they know the Alphas, then they know who we are and whose side we're on. They might even target us. Try to use us as leverage to make you surrender. We're not safer hiding. And whatever locked door you put us behind, they can get through it. Unless you use mountain ash, and there's no guarantee it will work on these other werewolves or hybrids if they bring them as back up.”

“And if they can't get in, they'll just burn the place down,” Jeremy added.

“So, we divide and conquer,” Allison finished.

“It's not that simple, cupcake,” Damon shook his head.

“What the heck is mountain ash?”

Everyone's heads turned as Tyler spoke for the first time.

“It's like a powder,” Derek responded. “Only a human can use it. It can create a barrier so werewolves can't get in or out.”

“Like one of Bonnie's spells,” Jeremy explained.

“Well, you wanted me here to learn about hybrids,” Tyler turned to the Alpha. “Try it on me and we’ll see if I can get out. Do you have some?”

“No, not here,” Derek nodded, “but I know someone who does.”


End file.
